Russia-Africa negotiations have produced positive results for the respective aviation sectors.
Russia has agreed to develop aviation in Africa and is boosting its cooperation with African states, including Ethiopia and Tanzania, by signing new air services agreements. Russian authorities met with various African stakeholders at the second Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg.
Russia-Ethiopia aviation development
During the summit, Russia’s Deputy Minister of Transport Igor Chalik and Ethiopia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs signed an agreement to develop the air transport line between the two countries. The states previously had an air communication agreement dated March 26, 1977, which will be terminated under the new deal.
The newly signed agreement aims to establish efficient and regular air transport services between Russia and Ethiopia, to boost trade and economic development. Additionally, it includes enacting legislation regarding national carriers, recognition of airworthiness certificates, and cooperation in ensuring flight safety standards in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
Ethiopia’s flag carrier Ethiopian Airlines already has a regular service to and from Russia. It operates four weekly nonstop flights from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) to Moscow Domodedovo (DME) with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Conversely, no Russian carriers are operating flights on this route.
Agreement with Tanzania
Russian authorities have also negotiated a new deal with Tanzania to strengthen their aviation ties and rejuvenate air transport activity in the post-pandemic era. Following a successful meeting in Moscow, the two governments negotiated a new Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), noting that the previous ones had been severely affected by the pandemic.
According to the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA), the new agreements will give the designated airlines of Tanzania access to three entry points in Russia, namely Moscow, St Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg. This is a noteworthy improvement from the previous BASA, which only allowed access to the capital.
Similarly, the designated Russian carriers will be given access to three entry points in Tanzania, i.e., Dar es Salaam (DAR), Zanzibar (ZNZ), and Kilimanjaro (JRO). The negotiations also included provisions for codesharing, as both parties highlighted its importance for maximizing airline yields.
Traffic rights
Beyond codesharing, the negotiations also involved discussions on the employment of fifth freedom traffic rights by Russia and Tanzania’s designated airlines. Under the newly agreed terms, their carriers can fly to both countries and on to a third country upon mutual agreement by the respective civil aviation authorities.
Despite the current air services agreement, no airlines are operating commercial flights between these destinations. During the discussions, Russian authorities suggested a requirement for filing fares before the designated airlines can commence operations on the routes, but Tanzania heavily contested this, saying that it is “impracticable.” However, an agreement was reached, and the TCAA said in a statement;
As a result of the successful negotiations, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the Heads of Delegation from both parties. The final signing of the BASA will occur once the necessary institutional procedures of both Governments have been completed.”
Airline representatives from Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) and Precision Air were among the Tanzanian delegation that flew to Moscow. ATCL Managing Director Ladislaus Matindi told The Citizen that the new agreement could provide more business opportunities, and the company will assess the market trends before deciding to fly to Russia.
Source: Simple Flying
