It may have taken over five years and the road may have been definitely uneasy, but with spectacle and pride, at the hangar of the Air Force Base, under beautiful bright clouds of the city of Lome, ASKY, the new regional airline set to carter for the needs of passengers in West & Central Africa, embraced the skies.

The flag-off ceremony which was conducted by His Excellency Faure Gnassingbe, President of Republic of Togo, attracted a number of important visitors from across Africa including His Excellency Siyum Mesfin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. When Air Afrique filed for bankruptcy in February 2002, it left a vacuum. The difficulties of the traveling public within the region could only be imagined.

Subsequently and following the decision to have a regional airline by the Heads of States of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) the Executive Secretariat of ECOWAS, the WAEMU Commission, Banque Centrale des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Quest (BCEAO), Banque Ouest Africaine de Development (BOAD) as well as representatives of the private sector, notably the Ecobank Group, met to deliberate on the creation of a new airline. The Regional Airline Promotion Company, SPCAR, was saddled with the responsibility to carry out feasibility studies, source for a technical and financial partner and private investors.

The birth of ASKY airlines marks a defining moment in the history of African integration as evident in the events leading to the formation and start of the airline. The wide spread support the project received from the foregoing encouraged the promoters to continue despite the many challenges. The endorsements from Heads of State of ECOWAS, UEMOA, CEMAC as well as the ECOWAS and UEMOA Commissions provided regional political assurances beyond just a single state.

The signing of Memoranda of Understanding between the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of South Africa (CHAMSA) and the South African Development Community States Chambers of Commerce & Industry and SPCAR with respect to involving investors from South African Development Community (SADC), extended involvements in the airlines to the Southern African region. The signing of an MoU with Ethiopian Airlines as technical partner and the signature of the joint mandate given to Ernst & Young and Ecobank Development Corporation (EDC) to raise funds, as well as subscriptions to increase the capital of ASKY, as registered in various countries of the sub-regions signaled the attractiveness of the new airline to private sector participants. Skeptics are, however, quick to caution: it is not yet eureka. For them, Air Afrique had a very similar path and the interests in such an airline may be too many.

However, such sentiments seem distant as great euphoria enveloped the atmosphere at the Air Force Base in Lome. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia notes that, “this day shall have a special place in the history of African aviation, especially as a facilitation of African integration.” The Chairman of the Board of Directors of ASKY, Dr. Gervais Djondo, points that “by supporting and participating in this work, all have made a great contribution to the development of Africa. Indeed, initiatives such as ASKY will enable our continent to present a better face and to offer its sons and daughters the opportunities they need to improve their living conditions.”

When Air Afrique collapsed, analysts traced its failure to a huge debt profile and management crises resulting from the fact that it was owned only by francophone countries, whose constant interference was inimical to the growth of the airline.

The sponsors of ASKY obviously have learned from the failures of Air Afrique and are mindful of such shortcomings. ASKY’s ownership is open towards West, Central, East and South Africa with the participation of financial institutions engaged in community development in the private sector; its major share-holders are the Ecobank Group, EBID, BOAD, the SAK-HUMNOTHO Group of South Africa, Ethiopian Airlines and African private economic inves-tors. Its choice of technical partner-ship is also hailed as a move in the right direction that will help sustain the airline. This is also acknowledged by Dr. Djondo when he says: “ASKY combines its start-up and management with a strong partnership with the oldest airlines on our continent. This is, without doubt, the model of South-South partnership necessary for the development of Africa.” 

There is no doubt that ASKY is inclined to be pan-African. This is reflected in the choice of its cabin crew and colors of gold and brown. More than thirty cabin crew who were in attendance at the launch ceremony represent different countries in Africa. The airline starts operations with two Boeing 737-700 state-of-the-art aircraft and an initial 12 destinations to cover West and Central Africa, with plans to expand within and beyond the continent in the nearest future.

At whatever stage the history of ASKY is written, it would be incomplete without the mention of Mr. Gervais Djondo, whose personal credibility and sacrifice are instrumental to the realization of the ASKY dream. In 2006, he personally embarked on a tour of countries across Africa to sensitize the private sector to be ready to subscribe to the capital of the new airline.

As the launch ceremony closed, guests were elated at the birth of this new African initiative and are confident it will succeed. Enthusiasts opine that the success of Ecobank in more than 32 African countries is a good example that supports the conviction that ASKY has begun a long successful march to the grand future of Africa’s aviation system and economy.

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