The Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) and the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Tuesday. The MoU covers five years, initially, but is renewable.

“Today’s ceremony goes to formalise the already existing relationship between the Airports Company South Africa and the Ghana Airports Company Limited,” said GACL acting MD Charles Asare at the announcement of the MoU at OR Tambo International Airport, in Kempton Park, east of Johannesburg. “This occasion is a manifestation of the cordial relationship between our two countries,” stated Ghanaian Acting High Commissioner in South Africa Martha Pobee, reading a speech on behalf of Ghanaian Transport Minister (Mrs) Dzifa Aku Attivor.

In the speech, Pobee noted that it had been the Presidents of the two countries, Jacob Zuma of South Africa and John Mahama of Ghana, who last year had agreed that ACSA and GACL should cooperate. “We believe that the opportunity to exchange skills will inevitably result from this MoU,” affirmed ACSA chairperson (Mrs) Busisiwe Mabuza. This will benefit both countries and both their regions.

The discovery of oil off Ghana has greatly stimulated the country’s economy and produced a concomitant increase in both international and domestic air traffic. GACL’s airports handled 2.5-million passengers last year. Growth in international traffic is running at 7%/y, while domestic demand has soared by 25%/y. As a result, the West African country has launched a major airport infrastructure development programme.

GACL currently operates one international airport (Kotoka, Accra) and three domestic airports (Kumasi, Sunyani and Tamale). One of the domestic airports is being upgraded to international status and two new domestic airports are being planned. Mabuza pointed out that GACL will be able to benefit from the lessons learned by ACSA during its airports upgrading programme, done in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The MoU covers such matters as aviation services, infrastructure development, airport facilities development and maintenance, aviation-related software, airport operations (on both the ground and air sides), retail and property management and airport security. Its implementation will be overseen by a bilateral committee. Both sides will fund the programmes undertaken within the ambit of the MoU.

The MoU with GACL marks the latest stage of ACSA’s programme of developing links and business with other emerging economies. The South African company is already a member of the consortia managing the Mumbai International Airport in India and the Guarulhos International Airport at São Paulo, Brazil. “We believe that the growth for the company comes through the leveraging of the skills we have,” stated Mabuza.