Last week, the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (Caaz) announced that it had set aside US$253 million for airport development projects in a global drive to lure back airlines.



Fewer than 20 international airlines currently fly into the country, down from the 34 that used the route from 1999 to 2003.



Caaz PR and Communications Manager, Anna Julia Hungwe, said: "US$253 million has been budgeted for upgrading the country’s airports, excluding Victoria Falls which was upgraded at a cost of US$150 million.”

Eight airlines now fly into Victoria Falls: Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and SA Airlink joined British Airways, Air Zimbabwe, South African Airways, Fastjet and Air Namibia. Caaz expects to see similar benefits when it upgrades the country’s other airports.



Last year, the Zimbabwean government secured a US$153 million loan from The Export-Import Bank of China; this will be used to upgrade Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare.



Hungwe said Caaz further planned to upgrade a number of the small airports in the country: Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport, Charles Prince, Masvingo, Hwange, Buffalo Range and Kariba airports. They will fund this using the Public-Private-Partnerships model.

 

She could not give timelines on when the programme would commence but reiterated that plans were in place and that timelines would be made available in due course.