Zimbabwe Signs Nine MOUs To Facilitate Airlines Into The Country

By Wallace Mawire

Zimbabwe has signed nine Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to facilitate entry of airlines into the country.

Firstme Vitori,Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) Public Relations and Communications Manager said that CAAZ  and Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development participated at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Air Services Negotiation Conference (ICAN) 2022 hosted by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority in December 2022, as part of 63 ICAO member states in attendance.

'This is in line with the Authority’s mandate of promoting and facilitating the growth of air transport industry as guided by the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1)' Vitori said.

The NDS1 is Zimabwe's  five-year Medium Term Plan aimed at realising the country's Vision 2030, while simultaneously addressing the global aspirations of the country.

Vitori disclosed that the  key outcomes  delivered at the conference include four  new Air Service Agreements (ASA), compliant with the Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) being negotiated and initialled with four Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) member states namely  Benin, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire and Mali.

The signed agreements  have  provisions such as multiple airline designations, unrestricted frequencies and capacity for both passenger and cargo services and unrestricted 5th freedom traffic rights on intra-Africa points in accordance with the Yamoussoukro Decision.

Vitori also disclosed that one  new Air Service Agreement was  negotiated with a non-SAATM state, Finland, with  provisions such as a multiple airline designations, unrestricted frequencies and capacity for both passenger and cargo services.

CAAZ has also revealed that there has been a review of four  existing Air Service Agreements for  the four  states, namely the  Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) whose  review will allow designation of Zimbabwean local airlines to commence services into DRC.

The other one is for  Kenya, whose  review addressed some restrictions which affected operations between the two countries.

A review on  India follows an interest by Indian Airlines to include Victoria Falls as an entry point.

The authority also reports that a review on the  United Kingdom  seeks to modernise the initial agreement promoting air services between the two countries.

Vitori said that the activation of these Air Service Agreements  is part of CAAZ’s mandate as the aviation industry Regulator  to facilitate and ensure enabling instruments are in place for access of the Zimbabwean airspace to all aviation industry players in the movement of passengers and cargo in line with government’s Open Skies Policy for the promotion of trade, investment and tourism.

'The Authority applauds Government of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development for the support rendered in these engagements and efforts to attract more airlines into the country,' Vitori said.