By HELEN ZULU
GOVERNMENT is investing in excess of US$1 billion in the development of aviation infrastructure in the country to increase aviation activities.
Plans to establish a National Airline to ensure availability of competitive air transportation to and from Zambia have also advanced.
Transport and Communications minister Brian Mushimba said Government was investing heavily in the aviation sector through the development of infrastructure in all the provincial towns in the country.
Mr Mushimba said the developments in the sector included the expansion, modernisation and improvement of airports across the country with domestic provincial and district airports as well as aerodromes also receiving facelifts.
He said during the official opening of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) seminar in Lusaka yesterday that the enumerated increased aviation activities and infrastructure development would result in increased aviation activities and environmental pollution from emissions.

MUSHIMBA

“ We are investing in excess of $1 billion in developing aviation infrastructure and we feel that to take full advantage of that investment, a national airline is needed especially that it can play the catalytical role to accelerating economic development that we need,” Mr Mushimba said.
Government has advanced in its plans to establish a national airline which was scheduled to commence operations in the near future to ensure availability of competitive air transportation to and from Zambia.
Mr Mushimba said the country had constituted a national working group that would spearhead all carbon emissions related issues in aviation called the aviation emissions group.
He said the aviation emissions group is composed of the CAA, Zambia Airports Corporation Limited, representatives from airlines, aviation fuel suppliers and other stakeholders that have interest in Carbon emission related issues.
CAA director general Gabriel Lesa noted that international aviation had a vital role in global social economic development hence there was need to manage aviation to continue developing in a sustainable manner.
Mr Lesa said the Zambian aviation sector will endeavor to promote a green economy by implementing agreed national carbon reduction plans effectively.
“We shall endeavor to promote a green economy by promoting the use of new generation aircraft and management of aging aircraft to help reduce rate of emissions of carbon dioxide which depletes the ozone layer,” he said.