Open skies policy bears fruit

BUSINESS REPORTER
Zimbabwe’s open skies policy is bearing fruit as evidenced by an increase in the number of flights into the country, deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development, Mike Madiro has said.
He spoke at the Zambia Airways’ relaunch of the Lusaka-Harare route on Tuesday this week.
The carrier landed at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport for the first time in more than a decade, a move expected to increase connectivity between Zimbabwe and Zambia.
“We are excited to witness the touching down of Zambia Airways. We believe that increased connectivity between Zimbabwe and Zambia is mutually beneficial. As a testament to our commitment to the open skies policy, the Government of Zimbabwe has been granting fifth freedom air traffic rights. I am excited and confident to say that we are evidently walking the talk and implementing the Yamoussoukro declaration concerning the liberalisation of access to air transport markets in Africa, which is in line with His Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s mantra ‘Zimbabwe is open for business’. It is further testimony of the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market obligations to which Zimbabwe is a party,” Madiro said.
He said the connectivity between Zimbabwe and Zambia would facilitate tourism, adding that the government was committed to supporting the airline.
The Zambia Airways will operate passenger and cargo services daily between Lusaka and Harare.
It comes after more than 10 airlines were granted the permission to access Zimbabwe’s airspace since 2017. These include Eswatini Air, Qatar Airways and Eurowings Discover, among others.
Airports Company of Zimbabwe CEO, Tawanda Gusha said the move would help develop the regional aviation sector.
“We are excited to have Zambia Airways returning to Zimbabwe for the first time in more than a decade. We will continue to work together with Zambia as we develop the aviation industry in the region,” Gusha said.
Zambia Airways CEO Abiy Asrat Jiru said the airline was “coming with a unique and game changing service that will excite the customers.”
Acting permanent secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, Stephen Mbewe said the move to Harare was an easy one as the governments of Zimbabwe and Zambia owned a joint venture company called ZIZA.
“We have been collaborating very well. With this flight, we intend to do this daily,” Mbewe said.