TANZANIA is set to receive more tourists, traders and investors from Kuwait following the signing of an air transport agreement (ATA), which will allow direct flights between the two countries.
ATA is an agreement which two countries
sign to allow direct international commercial air transport services
between their territories. Minister for Works, Transport and
Communication, Prof Makame Mbarawa, inked the contract with the Director
General of Kuwait’s Directorate of Civil Aviation, Eng. Yousef Al
Fouzam.
Eng Yousef pledged before the minister
that Kuwait Airways will soon start direct flights from the Persian
Gulf’s country to Tanzania. “We have two airlines in Kuwait namely
Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways and I will convince them to start
direct flights to Tanzania in the near future.
This agreement will boost trade and tourism for our countries,” Eng Al Fouzam stated.
The Kuwaiti official was upbeat that
flights between the two countries will transport over two million
passengers per annum. For his part, Prof Mbarawa noted that apart from
tourists and investments, the deal will enable civil aviation experts
from the two countries to cooperate on technical issues.
“Our people will be able to learn from
Kuwait and vice-versa. When direct flights become operational we will
hopefully receive more tourists and investors from the Arabian Gulf
state,” the minister explained.
He was positive that through the current
restructuring of Air Tanzania, the national carrier will be able to
begin direct flights to Kuwait in five years to come. In a related
development, Prof Mbarawa hinted that plans were underway to purchase
two brand-new aircrafts as part of a strategy to strengthen the ATC’s
fleet in capturing the local market.
“Last week we had a meeting and received
presentations from officials of three global airplane manufacturers and
they took us on a number of options we can consider when we want to
acquire the aircrafts.
“The companies include Canada’s
Bombardier, France’s Airbus as well as Embraer of Brazil. In the
meantime we have decided to purchase two planes from Bombardier which
will arrive after two months,” he explained.
Prof Mbarawa noted further that the
national carrier will first establish and strengthen its footprints in
the domestic market and thereafter consider regional expansion to
neighouring countries before it ventures into international flights
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