He challenged Tanzanian envoys to better understand the country’s policies in order to use them in executing their duties.
Dr Mwinyi was addressing ambassadors gathering in the Isles for a week long meeting, which started on November 14.
“Your priorities should be aligned with goals set by the Union and Zanzibar governments,” he told envoys who will be addressed by President Samia Suluhu Hassan today.
Dr Mwinyi stressed on the need to diligently fulfill their responsibilities and understand the country’s image, policies and visions they carry through their representation abroad.
The visions and policies should be translated into action, stressed the Zanzibar President, noting that the move will enable colleagues in respective countries to easily receive and promote cooperation with respective countries, regions and international organisations.
He challenged the responsible ministry to continue building the capacity of staffs in order to increase their professionalism and efficiency.
Furthermore, Dr Mwinyi said envoys are obliged to build close cooperation with the private sector operating on both sides of the union in order to benefit with available opportunities.
The Zanzibar’s President said they should also abide by special directives issued on the Isles as stipulated in the Development Vision 2050 and the Development Plan 2021/26 documents, stressing on the need to strengthen the country’s economic diplomacy.
“You should continue working closely with both governments to meet objectives set especially on the need to secure better and reliable markets, attract investment, capital and tourists visiting the country,” he said.
He said Zanzibar is blessed with the ocean which is full of numerous resources, saying they are only challenged to ensure available wealth is utilized and sustained for the benefits of Tanzanians.
Dr Mwinyi said available resources should be used to uplift the life of the Zanzibaris, especially through implementation of the blue economy which comprises tourism, ports construction, fisheries, aquaculture, seaweeds farming, oil and gas exploration and transportation.
He said tourism was a rapidly growing sector in the Isles despite recent challenges, hinting that 61,388 tourists visited the Isles in August, 2022 as compared to 34,000 who toured the same period last year.
The minister for Foreign and East African Corporation, Dr Stergomena Tax said envoys have the role to oversee the country’s interests abroad, stressing that they have been directed to strengthen cooperation with the countries of representation.
She said the government would accelerate the Foreign Policy 2001 review in order to align it with the ongoing global changes.
The dean of Tanzanian ambassadors, Dr Asharose Migiro said among the topics discussed include the global trends so that the envoys can effectively implement the economic diplomacy policy.
The ambassadors were also taken through the opportunities available in Zanzibar and its Blue Economy plan, she said.
“We promise to continue with our work to represent our country and strengthen relationships with other countries by following the priorities of the nation and bringing more investors,” she said.
Dr Mwinyi said that the government has taken deliberate measures to improve the business and investment environment by cutting to secure their investment permit.
He said, an investor with complete documents can complete all the procedures within 24 hours and gets the certificate.
Dr Mwinyi said the government has improved the airports and ports to simplify transportation in Zanzibar.
“If you return to your work stations, explain clearly the improvements that have been made in order to encourage traders and investors to come to Zanzibar,” he said.
Agricultural activities in Zanzibar include growing cloves, spices and seaweed, which generate foreign currencies.
“Support the government efforts in finding new markets for processed products,” he said, adding that the mission is to ensure that more processing industries are built in Zanzibar to avoid exporting raw products.
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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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