Online Reporter
Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
Plans by the Government to introduce a direct flight from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Zimbabwe by March next year are now at an advanced stage, with discussions and negotiations ongoing between the two countries.
A Zimbabwean delegation is currently in the UAE to negotiate the direct flight, specifically targeting a route connecting Abu Dhabi and Harare.
The negotiations are part of a broader push by Zimbabwe to tap into the millions of international tourists who transit through the Abu Dhabi aviation hub. The flight will connect Harare and Abu Dhabi via Kinshasa or Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Etihad Airways is one of the two flag carriers of the UAE (the other being Emirates), with its head office in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, near Zayed International Airport. The airline began operations in November 2003 and is the second-largest carrier in the UAE after Emirates.
It operates more than 1 000 flights per week to over 120 passenger and cargo destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America, with a fleet of 107 Airbus and Boeing aircraft as of July 2025.
On Monday, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to the UAE, Isaac Moyo, and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development’s Permanent Secretary, Engineer Joy Makumbe, held an engagement with officials from Etihad Airways.
Eng Makumbe was accompanied by Airports Company of Zimbabwe chief Executive officer Mr Tawanda Gusha, officials from the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe, National Handling Services, and other Government officials.
“Zimbabwe offers a fully integrated, government‑backed, incentive‑rich operating environment for Etihad operations, featuring fifth‑freedom traffic rights, airport incentives for a period of 12 months, a dedicated and IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO)‑certified ground handler (NHS), guaranteed collaborative marketing initiatives for general and fresh produce through government agencies such as ZimTrade and the Horticultural Association of Zimbabwe, guaranteed fund repatriation, and a structured pre‑launch readiness programme to ensure a seamless, on‑brand entry into the market,” said Eng Makumbe to the UAE officials.
Eng Makumbe said Zimbabwe has fully adopted the Open Skies Policy under the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and freely grants fifth‑freedom rights to eligible operators as a matter of policy.
“Multiple airlines already exercise fifth‑freedom rights through Zimbabwe — for example, Ethiopian Airlines on Harare–Lusaka, Emirates on Harare–Lusaka, and Kenya Airways on the Harare–Lusaka route — demonstrating a functioning, proven framework.”
She noted that the UAE–Zimbabwe Air Services Agreement, ratified in 2017, provides the legal basis for the designation of UAE airlines and the exercise of traffic rights, including fifth‑freedom rights, between and beyond both territories. “Etihad’s designation as a UAE flag carrier will streamline the formalisation of these rights,” she said.
Eng Makumbe also presented, on behalf of the Government, a summary of Zimbabwe’s integrated aviation framework for Etihad’s operations at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.
She said Zimbabwe has introduced fiscal and policy incentives to attract airlines and tourism investment, including reductions in aircraft registration fees and external tour operators’ licences, as well as the elimination of transit fuel duty and electronic cargo system fees.
For Etihad’s first year of operations (March 2027 – February 2028), ACZ will provide a tailored package of landing fee rebates, parking charge waivers, and terminal usage concessions at RGMIA.
“This package can be structured to offset a substantial portion of initial fixed operating costs during the market establishment phase,” she said.
Eng Makumbe further explained that NHS is executing a US$1.3 million self‑funded programme targeting equipment upgrades, customer experience enhancement, and the implementation of a flight turnaround management system.
“NHS will offer Etihad a route development growth discount, structured as a percentage rebate on handling charges tied to passenger and cargo volume growth milestones over the first 12 months of operations,” she said.
