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THE government on Thursday signed with the Belgium Kingdom a bilateral air services agreement that opened up a new horizon for the aviation industry.
The agreement was signed by the Minister for Works and Transport, Prof Makame Mbarawa and Belgium Ambassador Peter Van Acker who expressed hope that the agreement would enhance connectivity between the two countries and stimulate trade and tourism.
Speaking after signing the agreement, Mbarawa said the air services deal will be the first formal agreement between the two contracting parties.
He said the agreement provides a legal framework for the establishment of links between the two countries.
“The air service agreements we are signing today makes a total of 76 air services agreements with our aviation partners” said Prof Mbarawa.
He said the agreement gives comfort as it has embodied the principal place of business and effective regulatory control for airlines designation from both contracting parties.
“It involves authorisation for non-discriminatory airline self-handling, open consultations between contracting parties and unlimited frequencies between Julius Nyerere International Airport, Abeid Amani Karume International Airport and the Kilimanjaro International Airport and international airports in the Kingdom of Belgium” said Prof Mbarawa.
He said the terms provide for flexibility in business operations which in turn will result in the expansion of market segmentation and increase traffic movements.
Prof Mbarawa said air transport and tourism are two sides of the same coin, with the vast tourism potential in the country.
The Minister said they expect a boom in tourists from Belgium, Europe and the rest of the world through the airline’s networks and connections.
“While we are vesting our commitment to Air Tanzania Company Limited for starting direct flights to Belgium, we are also looking forth to receive direct flights from Belgium airlines as reciprocal designation” he insisted.
He said the agreement will facilitate travel between the two countries and boost the existing economic activities and the increase in flights will also stimulate the aeronautical and ancillary revenues, thus improving the aviation business between the two countries.
On his part, Director General of the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA), Mr Hamza Johari said the agreement will lead to closer ties between the economies of the two countries.
He said it is another milestone for the aviation industry as it has widened the connectivity, whereas Air Tanzania can now fly directly to Brussels and vice versa, hoping for new horizons.
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