A historic agreement is set to strengthen air links between the Caribbean and Africa.
Speaking at a Signing Ceremony for a Bilateral Air Services Agreement between Trinidad and Tobago and Nigeria on Monday, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, Dr. Amery Browne, said it took 23 years to negotiate the agreement with the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“I’m very pleased, therefore, that we’ve been able to complete the process to bring into effect Trinidad and Tobago’s very first Bilateral Air Services Agreement with an African State.”
Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan said the economic benefits to this nation go beyond additional tourist arrivals.
“Trinidad is positioned to be that hub, and with support from Nigeria and the rest of the African States, with the support of some of the agreements that we have signed before, within the last couple of years, we are poised to be that hub here in the Caribbean region.”
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, endorsed Minister Sinanan’s assertions about this country becoming an international hub.
“As your influence in Africa grows, we offer you – we offer you to be the hub of Africa. Nigeria opens its doors to Trinidad and Tobago; come and be the hub of Africa. We are going to look back, you know, at home and see the airlines that have the capacity to start this route immediately. To start this route immediately, let’s create the traffic; let’s revive the routes again.”
An airline hub is a central airport used by one or more airlines to concentrate passenger traffic and facilitate connecting flights.