Second workshop on Consumer protection, Dakar, Senegal, 5 - 8 May 2025

ECOWAS CONSUMER PROTECTION OFFICERS TRAINING

The second workshop on Consumer protection was organised by AFCAC in collaboration with EASA and IATA. It took place at AFCAC HQ in Dakar, Senegal, between the 5 and 8 May 2025.

The training aimed to provide participants with a clear overview of consumer protection issues in the air transport industry, as well as insights into air transport passenger protection rules, fare transparency and how to improve the handling of passenger claims.

This second course was designed for consumer protection officers from Central and Northern African member states, with nineteen participants attending from these regions.

FRAMEWORK

The Consumer Protection Regulations are designed to implement Article 9.6 of the Yamoussoukro Decision (YD), with the objective of protecting the consumers of air transport services are provided in the territories of state parties of the YD and ensuring consumers have access to effective redress mechanisms that guarantee the quality of services and sustain the liberalization of the air transport system.

Following the nomination of Air Transport Consumer Protection Focal Persons by Member States to AFCAC as the Executing Agency of the YD and the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), and the recommendation of the SAATM-Pilot Implementation Project (PIP) Roadshow of 18th-19th April 2023 in Abuja, that the eight (8) Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and the five (5) Regions of Africa should become the building pillars of the YD regulatory texts harmonization and implementation.

OBJECTIVES

Understand the fundamentals of air passenger protection regulations and apply them to the day-to-day operations.

Gain knowledge of the air transport consumer protection regulations and policies necessary for inclusion in national legislation for implementation and operationalisation.

Learn how to handle passenger claims, including delays, and develop skills through a debate-based session on a passenger rights case.

Devising a mechanism to enhance consumer protection awareness at the Member State and REC levels.

Harmonise consumer protection policies, laws, regulations, approaches and initiatives within the air transport industry.

Equipping consumer protection officers with the knowledge to develop guidelines and procedures for implementing these harmonised regulations.

Develop a roadmap for the implementation of air transport consumer protection regulations in Central and Northern African member states.

MAIN TAKE AWAYS

Develop a mechanism to address Air transport consumer protection issues across the Central and Northern Africa Member States,
Gained knowledge to review and implement the existing policies by developing appropriate laws and regulations on Air Transport consumer protection;
Equipped the consumers protection officers with abilities to access and disseminate information on Air Transport consumer protection matters to the travelling public;
Capabilities to conduct regular and continuous education and awareness campaigns on Air transport consumer protection to the travelling public;
Advocate for the interests and rights of consumers through consumer protection units;
To hold service providers accountable through provision of information on possible abusive practices;
Help the creation of forums composed of consumer representatives, advisors or committees to act as consultative mechanisms which can propose some reforms and make proposals for improvement through regulation, legislation and good practice, and/or propose a given awareness campaign in relation to consumer protection matters.