DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA has signed bilateral Air Services Agreements (ASAs) with five new countries, expanding its aviation connectivity to 85 from the previous 80 countries.
The newly added countries are Poland, the Czech Republic, Suriname, Algeria and Côte d'Ivoire.
The move would enable the country to further foster a conducive environment with minimal restrictions, facilitating cargo services between those countries.
This breakthrough means that designated airlines from these five new countries can now initiate scheduled air operations between their respective nations and Tanzania.
Simultaneously, Tanzanian airlines can establish routes to these countries and extend their operations to multiple points beyond, creating a network of cooperative air travel.
Air Services Agreements (ASAs) are international treaties through which two or more states regulate air transport of passengers and cargo between their territories. In Brazil, such an agreement is negotiated by the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Infrastructure.
ASAs regulate issues such as the number of frequencies, designation of airlines, route schedules, traffic rights ("freedoms of the air"), tariffs, and code sharing.
They also specify obligations relating to flight safety and aviation security. In addition to ASAs, there are Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) concluded between aeronautical authorities that regulate operational aspects of bilateral air trade relations.
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Tanzania signed the agreement while engaged in the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) Air Services Negotiation (ICAN) event held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A multisectoral delegation successfully participated in the event.
Recognising the changing global aviation landscape, the country's delegation engaged in discussions with experts from countries such as the United Kingdom, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Qatar to review and align provisions of existing BASAs with current industry dynamics.
Specifically, discussions focused on traffic rights for all-cargo flights operated by Air Tanzania's Boeing 767 Freighter.
Beyond its celebratory aspect during International Civil Aviation Day, ICAN continues to play a crucial role in streamlining BASA negotiations, providing an efficient forum for ICAO Member States to converge, collaborate and address operational challenges in the ever-evolving aviation sector.
The event, attended by representatives from over 97 states and 713 participants, facilitated close to 600 meetings during ICAN2023.
ICAN2023 also served as a platform for technical discussions between the Tanzanian delegation and counterparts from Kenya and Oman.
