Dar es Salaam. Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Afrika Mashariki, Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, amesema mataifa ya Afrika yanapaswa kuuangalia ushirikiano wa China na Tanzania kama mfano wa maendeleo, akibainisha kuwa unatoa taswira ya maono ya pamoja kwa ajili ya mabadiliko, ustawi, na kisasa.
Balozi Kombo amesema hayo jana, Januari 26, 2025 wakati wa hafla ya kusherehekea mwaka mpya wa Kichina, akisisitiza nafasi ya ushirikiano huo kama chachu ya maendeleo ya kikanda na ustawi wa pamoja.
Akizungumza katika sherehe hizo, Waziri Kombo ameeleza kuwa mwaka uliopita, 2024, ni wa kukumbukwa kwa kuwa umeacha alama na kumbukumbu nzuri katika historia ya ushirikiano wa kiuchumi na diplomasia ya Tanzania na China.
Amezitaja baadhi ya alama na kumbukumbu hizo kuwa ni pamoja na maadhimisho ya miaka 60 ya ushirikiano wa kidiplomasia na kukua kwa urari wa biashara baina ya Tanzania na China.
Aidha, Waziri Kombo ameelezea dhima ya Serikali ya Tanzania ya kuendelea kudumisha na kukuza zaidi ushirikiano katika maeneo mbalimbali, ikiwemo biashara na uwekezaji, utalii, viwanda, elimu, teknolojia, afya, na kilimo.
“Utulivu, uaminifu, na mafanikio ni msingi wa ushirikiano kati ya China na Tanzania. Rais Xi na Rais Samia wanashiriki maono yaliyojengwa juu ya maadili haya, yakiongoza mabadiliko, ustawi, na kisasa,” ameongeza.
Kwa upande wake, Balozi wa China nchini Tanzania, Chen Mingjian, naye amesisitiza uimara wa urafiki kati ya China, Tanzania, na Afrika, akisema kuwa mwaka huu unaashiria miaka 60 ya uhusiano wa kidiplomasia kati ya China na Tanzania.
Amebainisha kuwa China inaendelea kuwa mshirika mkubwa wa kibiashara wa Tanzania na chanzo kikuu cha uwekezaji, huku ushirikiano wa mataifa hayo mawili ukizaa matokeo makubwa.
“China inaendelea kushikilia nafasi yake kama mshirika mkubwa wa kibiashara wa Tanzania na chanzo cha uwekezaji, huku Tanzania ikitarajiwa kuwa mgeni wa heshima tena katika Maonyesho ya Kimataifa ya Uagizaji wa Bidhaa China. Ushirikiano wa manufaa kati ya nchi hizi mbili umeleta mafanikio ya kuvutia,” amesema.
Aidha, balozi huyo ameongeza kuwa kampuni zinazofadhiliwa na China nchini Tanzania yamepiga hatua kubwa na kuchangia katika Mpango wa Ukanda na Barabara. Walimu na wanafunzi wanaokuja Tanzania wameimarisha ushirikiano wa kitamaduni kati ya mataifa hayo.
“Katika mwaka mpya, China na Tanzania zitaendelea kushirikiana kwa karibu katika safari yetu kuelekea usasa. Ushirikiano wa kimkakati wa kina kati ya mataifa haya mawili unalenga kuleta manufaa makubwa kwa maendeleo ya nchi zote mbili na kuboresha ustawi wa wananchi, huku pia ukichangia kwa kiwango kikubwa katika ujenzi wa jamii yenye mustakabali wa pamoja kwa ajili ya binadamu wote,” amesema Mingjian.
Source: mwananchi.co.tz
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European Union Bans Air Tanzania Over Safety Concerns
Kampala — The European Commission added Air Tanzania to the EU Air Safety List, banning the airline from operating within European Union airspace. This decision follows the denial of Air Tanzania’s Third Country Operator (TCO) authorization by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), citing significant safety deficiencies.
The EU Air Safety List includes airlines that fail to meet international safety standards. Commissioner Tzitzikostas emphasized the importance of passenger safety, stating: “The decision to include Air Tanzania in the EU Air Safety List underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest safety standards. We strongly urge Air Tanzania to take swift action to address these safety issues. The Commission has offered its assistance to Tanzanian authorities to enhance safety performance and achieve compliance with international aviation standards.”
Air Tanzania joins several African airlines banned from EU airspace, including carriers from Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Kenya. Notable names include Congo Airways, Sudan Airways, and Kenyan carriers Silverstone Air Services and Skyward Express. The ban reflects the EU’s strict approach to aviation safety worldwide.
Source: allafrica.com
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
