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Freeman Razemba-Senior Reporter
Zimbabwe has won a historic seat during the International Civil Aviation Organisation Council (ICAO) elections which were held yesterday in Montreal, Canada.
This development means that the country will now leverage the region’s aviation industry through its candidature in the ICAO.
Zimbabwe was competing for the seat in ICAO after SADC member states gave the nod for the country’s candidature.
The elections took place during the ICAO assembly’s 41st session at its headquarters in Montreal.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona was leading the delegation that attended the elections.
In his speech, Minister Mhona said the country had become a Contracting State of ICAO on March 13, 1980, following its ratification of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, just one year after gaining its independence.
Minister Mhona said since then and working together with other member states, Zimbabwe has been committed to advancing ICAO’s strategic objectives geared toward a safe, secure, orderly, efficient and sustainable global civil aviation system.
“We are so delighted as a team and we came here with one mission, to win and make sure that Zimbabwe is represented in the International Civil Aviation Organisation, an executive committee that superintendents over aviation issues.
“I am happy that we were in this race as a historic mark where we were saying following on the footsteps and on the mantra that is being championed by His Excellency Cde Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, that Zimbabwe’ is Open for Business and we also have the open skies policy. We came here just to make sure that as a nation we are represented and others might ask what sort of a race was this,” he said.
Minister Mhona said they started through Cabinet where they deliberated over the issue to make sure that Zimbabwe was represented in the executive council.
He said the council comprises 36 member states out of the 193 that are known.
Online Reporter