Freeman Razemba-Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT has received the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Business Implementation Study Report from the International Civil Aviation Organisation as Zimbabwe advances plans to establish a domestic sustainable aviation fuel industry and position the country as a regional green jet fuel hub.
Recently, the Government reaffirmed its continued support for ICAO’s programmes aimed at establishing a safe, secure, orderly, and sustainable international air transport system.
ICAO is a specialised agency of the United Nations that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, while fostering the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth.
In a statement, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development said it welcomes the report as a milestone achievement in its quest for the decarbonisation, modernisation, and long-term competitiveness of the aviation sector.
“The study was undertaken under the Assistance, Capacity-building and Training for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (ACT-SAF) programme, with financial and technical support from the Government of the United Kingdom.
“Building on earlier work, the BIS aligns with Zimbabwe’s commitment to the global Long-Term Aspirational Goal of net-zero carbon emissions from international aviation by 2050.
“It also builds on the country’s State Action Plan on CO, emissions reduction, which identified SAF as a mitigation measure, and on its participation in Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).
“Most directly, it builds on the November 2023 Zimbabwe SAF Feasibility Study, which identified 14 potential feedstocks, including sugarcane, cassava, sorghum, jatropha and lignocellulosic residues,” the ministry said.
It noted that the BIS turns those findings into a concrete business case, an implementation roadmap, and an investment framework, effectively moving from assessing potential to determining how SAF can be commercially implemented.
According to the ministry, the report highlights strategic opportunities to build on Zimbabwe’s existing biofuels and ethanol capabilities, particularly through the Alcohol-to-Jet pathway.
As the SAF industry extends beyond aviation, the Government intends to operationalise the SAF Inter-Ministerial Committee.
“The committee will review and prioritise the study’s findings and develop a clear, costed and time-bound national SAF roadmap.
“The roadmap will cover policy, regulatory, institutional, investment, infrastructure, financing, feedstock, market and technical requirements. The Ministry will then facilitate the consolidation of the findings for Cabinet consideration.
“Recommendations will be weighed against economic viability, environmental sustainability, agricultural productivity and energy security. The study aligns with the priorities of National Development Strategy 2 (2026-2030), including inclusive growth and structural transformation, infrastructure, climate resilience, job creation, technology and human capital,” the ministry said.
The initiative is also consistent with Zimbabwe’s national aspiration to achieve a Prosperous and Empowered Upper Middle-Income Society by 2030.
A domestic SAF value chain could add value to local feedstocks, attract investment, create jobs across agriculture, logistics, engineering, and fuel production, build technical skills, and reduce lifecycle aviation emissions.
The Government stressed that this handover marks the start of the implementation phase, rather than the end of the programme.
“Immediate priorities include institutional coordination, revamping activities of the Inter-Ministerial Committee, the national roadmap, policy and regulatory requirements, financing and investment mechanisms, technical capacity, and a viable SAF market,” the ministry said.
The Government has since extended its gratitude to the Government of the United Kingdom for its support, to the International Civil Aviation Organisation for its guidance, and to the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe, the Project Consultants, and all stakeholders who contributed to this milestone.
