Wycliffe Nyamasege
Kenya and the US government have signed a new Air Transport Agreement that will grant All-Cargo airliners between the two nations express rights.
In a statement sent out on Wednesday, February 6, the US government stated that the agreement signed on the basis of mutual benefits will add seventh-freedom traffic rights for all-cargo operations to the bilateral Air Transport Agreement.
Essentially, the agreement allows US and Kenyan All-Cargo Airliners to fly to third nations without the requirement of stopping at home country.
“The Amendment allows U.S. all-cargo airlines to fly between Kenya and a third nation without needing to stop in the United States, an important right if operating a cargo hub, ” the statement reads.
“Kenyan all-cargo carriers have reciprocal rights to serve the United States.”
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The amendment will come into effect after exchange of diplomatic notes.
The amendment was signed yesterday by Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia and Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Manisha Singh at Washington DC.
“The rights in the Amendment facilitate the movement of goods throughout the world by providing air carriers greater flexibility to meet their cargo and express delivery customers’ needs more efficiently, ” the statement reads in part.
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The deal is also seen as one that will liberalize the international civil aviation sector in the African continent.
“This Amendment further expands our strong economic and commercial partnership, while creating new opportunities for all-cargo airlines, exporters, and consumers, ” the statement adds.
“It will fully open the Kenyan air cargo services market to U.S. carriers, and represents one way in which the U.S. Government is delivering for U.S. all-cargo carriers and American workers.”
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