Zimbabwe signs 13 air trade agreements

PARLIAMENT has approved bilateral air trade agreements with 13 nations, Transport minister Felix Mhona has said.

Mhona said the agreements were in terms of section 327 of the Constitution.

The minister said this while raising a motion on the ratification of bilateral air services agreements with other countries.

Mhona said Zimbabwe signed the agreements with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Mozambique, Jordan, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Gabon, Rwanda, Seychelles, Ethiopia and Iraq.

"Whereas section 327(2)(a) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides that any convention, treaty or agreement acceded to, concluded or executed by and under the authority of the President with other foreign States or governments or international organisations shall be subject to approval by Parliament," Mhona said.

 "The Republic of Zimbabwe, through the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development concluded bilateral air service agreements with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Mozambique, Jordan, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Gabon, Rwanda, Seychelles, Ethiopia and Iraq… Zimbabwe is desirous to ratifying the said agreements, now therefore, in terms of section 327(2)(a) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, this House resolves that the aforesaid bilateral air trade agreements are hereby approved for ratification."

An air trade agreement, sometimes called an air service agreement, is a bilateral agreement to allow international commercial air transport services between signatories.

The bilateral air service agreements allow the designated airlines of the signatory countries to operate commercial flights that cover the transport of passengers and cargo between those two countries.

This comes as the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe is pursuing new air service agreements to increase the number of airlines flying into the country.