Zambia has announced plans to revise its Bilateral Air Services Agreements (BASAs) to align with new international civil aviation standards and expand its presence in the African aviation market. Minister of Transport and Logistics Frank Tayali revealed the initiative when he met in Lusaka with African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) Secretary-General Adefunke Adeyemi, who paid a courtesy call on the government. Tayali said the move is part of a broader strategy to grow Zambia’s aviation sector, make it more competitive, and fully capitalise on regional and international opportunities.
BASAs are agreements signed between countries to regulate air services between their territories. They establish particulars like the number of flights, routes, and designation of airlines. Renegotiation of such agreements is viewed as important for Zambia, especially at a time when international standards within aviation continue evolving. Tayali noted that Zambia needs to keep pace with developments to enable its aviation industry to remain reliable, investor-friendly, and well-integrated into global networks.
However, the minister indicated that Zambia is finding it difficult to update its BASAs due to protectionism from other African countries. Despite Zambia’s accession to the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM)—an African Union flagship project towards liberalisation of air transport in Africa—progress has been slow. “Instead of African countries buying into the idea, some of them are being protectionist,” Tayali indicated. He urged AFCAC to be more robust in advocating for SAATM and in convincing the African governments to invest in the open skies vision for enhanced connectivity.
The SAATM program, launched in 2018, has been widely considered a game-changer for the aviation industry in Africa. By removing traffic rights restrictions for African airlines, the program is expected to make intra-African travel more efficient, less expensive, and more convenient. It also aims to facilitate trade, tourism, and investment by enabling African airlines to fly to more destinations within the continent easily. Zambia’s commitment to revise its BASAs is viewed as a step towards the complete implementation of SAATM’s objectives, despite setbacks.
AFCAC Secretary-General Adeyemi said during the meeting that her visit was within the context of a wider drive to propel the SAATM agenda. She indicated that her team was in Zambia as part of the coalition executing the SAATM Pilot Implementation Project, where Zambia is participating. The coalition consists of key stakeholders such as the African Union, African Airlines Association (AFRAA), Airlines Association of Southern Africa, and Airports Council International. They want to work with governments, airlines, and aviation authorities to speed up the SAATM implementation and share difficulties slowing down its progress.
Adeyemi said the active participation of Zambia is crucial if SAATM is to take off in the Southern African region. She also assured the government that AFCAC would continue to guide Zambia on how to revise its agreements and update its aviation framework.
The event highlighted both the potential and difficulties of Zambia’s aviation industry. On one hand, revitalising BASAs and instituting SAATM can significantly boost the nation’s competitiveness, attract new airline partnerships, and improve connectivity. On the other hand, resistance from fellow African countries and the complexity involved in harmonising aviation standards remain obstacles that will require strong regional cooperation to overcome.
Despite these obstacles, Zambia’s resolve to modernise its aviation agreements is an indication that it is serious about re-energising the sector and claiming a bigger stake in Africa’s air transport story. Through continued collaboration between Zambia, AFCAC, and other aviation bodies, the country is positioning itself to be a more dynamic player in continental and global aviation.
