Air Zimbabwe to improve efficiency, promote growth

NATIONAL airline, Air Zimbabwe acting chief executive officer Mr Edmund Makona has said plans to acquire new equipment which is meant to improve the efficiency and promote growth in both the aviation and the tourism sector are on course.

The aviation sector has been described as a critical player in economic growth as the nation moves towards the attainment of Vision 2030.

Also, tourism is the largest contributor to the economy hence, players have expressed the need to have an effective and efficient aviation sector that will help visitors easily access destinations.

Speaking during the inaugural Aviation Development Forum held on the sidelines of the Sanganai/Hlanganai World Tourism Expo last week, Mr Makona said the airline has been getting a lot of support from the shareholder through the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development together with the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion.

He said the airline is coming out of the reconstruction process.

In the 2022 National Budget, the Treasury said it will support Air Zimbabwe to recapitalise through the acquisition of new planes and expand its routes under the airline’s six-year strategic turn-around plan.

This came after the Government agreed to assume Air Zimbabwe’s foreign US$30 million and $316 million local debt to make it debt-free and allow the airline to start on a clean slate.

“I can assure you that the shareholder through the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development together with the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion has been supportive when it comes to Air Zimbabwe.

“Air Zimbabwe is coming out of reconstruction and the purpose of reconstruction was not to reconstruct the airline and leave it idle, it was done in the purpose of recapitalising and those are the issues which are still in progress,” he said.

“We have been receiving a lot of support from the shareholder as far as Air Zimbabwe is concerned and we are very grateful, particularly in an environment where we are under siege and our Government is giving priority that aviation is one of the key drivers of Vision 2030,” said Mr Makona.

He said due to legacy debt, Air Zimbabwe was failing to get an investor, however, he said the reconstruction strategy has managed to clear the debt and the next phase now is to clean the company in terms of bringing efficient and effective organisational structure to make sure that it is adequately positioned for partnerships.

The inaugural Aviation Forum was jointly run by the Airports Company of Zimbabwe (ACZ) and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA).

The event, organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, sought to highlight the crucial role of the aviation sector in driving tourism and fostering economic recovery in Zimbabwe.

Representatives from airlines, aviation experts, tourism players and support actors to attend the forum. —@Sikhulekelani M1

-ebusinessweekly