Online Reporter
Freeman Razemba-Senior Reporter
THE Government has invited Singapore Airlines to launch a route to Harare and Victoria Falls, given the attractive tourist destinations in Zimbabwe as well as opportunities in the mining, agricultural and tourism sectors.
This is in line with Zimbabwe’s “Open Skies Policy”, which continues to attract more airlines into the country.
The Government is accelerating the momentum through enhancing aviation infrastructure modernisation in line with global standards.
Open skies means that any foreign airline can make arrangements to open routes into Zimbabwe, or increase the frequency of their flights into the country.
Developing an efficient air transport system is critical to enhancing economic growth in line with the country’s aspirations as expressed under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
The Government is upgrading airport infrastructure countrywide in an effort to meet international standards and attract more airlines.
This has seen the country attracting international airlines such as Qatar Airways, Eurowings Discover, Emirates, Ethiopian Airways, South African Airways, Kenyan Airways, South Africa’s Airlink and Fastjet among others.
This week, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona, who is attending the 2025 Global Aviation and Maritime Symposium (GAMS) in Singapore, held a bilateral meeting with his counterpart, Minister of Transport of Singapore, Mr Jeffery Siow, on the sidelines of the symposium.
The meeting took place at the Singapore Ministry of Transport building where Minister Mhona and his delegation were hosted by Minister Siow.
During the meeting, Minister Siow narrated how the transport sector, particularly maritime, aviation, City State road and railway transport administration had evolved over the years.
He also unpacked a highly ambitious vision they have for a smart, carbon free, service-oriented and connected transportation system.
In response, Minister Mhona thanked his counterpart for extending an invitation to the GAMS and commended Singapore for establishing a robust intermodal transport network.
Minister Mhona also recalled that Zimbabwe and Singapore reviewed a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) in 2014, which establishes reciprocal rights for airlines to operate between Zimbabwe and Singapore.
He also said that Air Zimbabwe used to fly from Harare to Singapore where it would proceed to Beijing and at some point in time, to Kuala Lumpur.
The Minister shared recent developments on the upgrade, expansion and modernisation of the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport. He said it now has capacity to handle wide bodied aircraft and six million passengers annually.
Minister Mhona outlined potential investment opportunities which are abundant in the transport sector, especially in the rail, aviation and road infrastructure realms, including technological installations, associated tolling and smart ticketing.
He reiterated Zimbabwe’s commitment to engage and re-engage through MoUs in the field of Transport and Transport Infrastructure and MOU in the field of Aircraft Accident and Serious Incidents Investigation which were shared by Zimbabwe through diplomatic channels.
On his part, Minister Siow committed to reviewing the MoUs with a view that continued discussions can be pursued by the technical teams whereupon the ministers can meet again during the occasion of the International Civil Aviation Organisation Assembly scheduled for September 2025 in Montreal, Canada.
The two Ministers commended each other for the commitment of the two sister countries in pursuing a carbon free, smart, seamless and service oriented transportation regime which is in line with UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Minister Mhona is accompanied by the director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe, Mr George Mashababe, the Ministry’s Legal Advisor, Advocate Kingstone Magaya and Ms Julia Marangwanda, a senior official at the Zimbabwean Embassy in Indonesia.
