Nairobi — The Postal Corporation of Kenya has launched a cross-border business partnership with the Tanzania Postal Corporation to facilitate ease of doing business and reduce delivery times between the two countries.
The partnership will also offer a platform that will ensure fast and efficient delivery of postal and courier services, with the ability to track and trace from origin to destination between the two countries.
Following the launch of the partnership, the time taken for a postal item to move between Kenya and Tanzania will be drastically reduced.
It will now take a postal item leaving Dodoma, Tanzania to Nakuru, Kenya, an average of 3 days. Previously, this would take up to 7 days, or more depending on the distance.
Other benefits of the partnership include enhanced cooperation in e-commerce opportunities, and identification of emerging opportunities and markets for the two corporations to grow business opportunities and generate revenue
The state corporations have also agreed to improve the postal and courier services between the two countries and bring on-board private sector players in the land and aviation sector to improve the time taken and processes involved on clearing import and export items.
Speaking at the the launch of the partnership, Posta Chairman Peter Kanaiya said the corporation was currently benchmarking with Tanzania Postal Administration in regard to their newly launched virtual Post Office, branded, Posta Kiganjani, with the objective of implementing the same in Kenya.
Esther Koimett, the Principal Secretary, State department of Broadcasting and Telecommunication said that from 2019, Kenya and Tanzania Postal Corporations have worked to resolve huddles to cross-border movement of postal and courier items.
In a speech read on her behalf by Paul Macharia, the Chief Economist in the ministry, Koimett said two Corporations have brought on-board private sector players in the land and air sectors to improve the time taken to clear import and export items.
This, she noted, includes the collaboration with airlines operating between Kenya and Tanzania; Kenya Airways, Air Tanzania and the relevant Revenue Authorities from both countries.
She said both Postal Administrations are actively improving the Isebania-Migori, Taveta, Loitoktok, Lunga-Lunga physical points in bid to serve customers better and improve service delivery.
“The most exciting part of this collaboration is the impact it will have to the small and micro enterprises which are active in cross-border business. They stand to benefit from the developments that offer friendly and seamless services through the Postal Network,” Koimett said.
Source: allafrica.com
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Air Tanzania Banned From EU Airspace Due to Safety Concerns
Several airports have since locked Air Tanzania, dealing a severe blow to the Tanzanian national carrier that must now work overtime to regain its certification or go the wet lease way
The European Commission has announced the inclusion of Air Tanzania on the EU Air Safety List, effectively banning the airline from operating in European airspace.
The decision, made public on December 16, 2024, is based on safety concerns identified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which also led to the denial of Air Tanzania’s application for a Third Country Operator (TCO) authorisation.
The Commission did not go into the specifics of the safety infringement but industry experts suggest it is possible that the airline could have flown its Airbus A220 well past its scheduled major checks, thus violating the airworthiness directives.
“The decision to include Air Tanzania in the EU Air Safety List underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest safety standards for passengers in Europe and worldwide,” said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism.
“We strongly urge Air Tanzania to take swift and decisive action to address these safety issues. I have offered the Commission’s assistance to the Tanzanian authorities in enhancing Air Tanzania’s safety performance and achieving full compliance with international aviation standards.”
Air Tanzania has a mixed fleet of modern aircraft types including Boeing 787s, 737 Max jets, and Airbus A220s.
It has been flying the B787 Dreamliner to European destinations like Frankfurt in Germany and Athens in Greece and was looking to add London to its growing list with the A220.
But the ban not only scuppers the London dream but also has seen immediate ripple effect, with several airports – including regional like Kigali and continental – locking out Air Tanzania.
Tanzania operates KLM alongside the national carrier.
The European Commission said Air Tanzania may be permitted to exercise traffic rights by using wet-leased aircraft of an air carrier which is not subject to an operating ban, provided that the relevant safety standards are complied with.
A wet lease is where an airline pays to use an aircraft with a crew, fuel, and insurance all provided by the leasing company at a fee.
Two more to the list
The EU Air Safety List, maintained to ensure passenger safety, is updated periodically based on recommendations from the EU Air Safety Committee.
The latest revision, which followed a meeting of aviation safety experts in Brussels from November 19 to 21, 2024, now includes 129 airlines.
Of these, 100 are certified in 15 states where aviation oversight is deemed insufficient, and 29 are individual airlines with significant safety deficiencies.
Alongside Air Tanzania, other banned carriers include Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe), Avior Airlines (Venezuela), and Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran).
Commenting on the broader implications of the list, Tzitzikostas stated, “Our priority remains the safety of every traveler who relies on air transport. We urge all affected airlines to take these bans seriously and work collaboratively with international bodies to resolve the identified issues.”
In a positive development, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been cleared to resume operations in the EU following a four-year suspension. The ban, which began in 2020, was lifted after substantial improvements in safety performance and oversight by PIA and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).
“Since the TCO Authorisation was suspended, PIA and PCAA have made remarkable progress in enhancing safety standards,” noted Tzitzikostas. “This demonstrates that safety issues can be resolved through determination and cooperation.”
Another Pakistani airline, Airblue Limited, has also received EASA’s TCO authorisation.
Decisions to include or exclude airlines from the EU Air Safety List are based on rigorous evaluations of international safety standards, particularly those established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
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The process involves thorough review and consultation among EU Member State aviation safety experts, with oversight from the European Commission and support from EASA.
“Where an airline currently on the list believes it complies with the required safety standards, it can request a reassessment,” explained Tzitzikostas. “Our goal is not to penalize but to ensure safety compliance globally.”
Airlines listed on the EU Air Safety List face significant challenges to their international operations, as the bans highlight shortcomings in safety oversight by their home regulatory authorities.
For Air Tanzania, this inclusion signals an urgent need for reform within Tanzania’s aviation sector to address these deficiencies and align with global standards.
The path forward will require immediate and sustained efforts to rectify safety concerns and regain access to one of the world’s most critical aviation markets.
Source: allafrica.com
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