FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, November 3, 1999
Contact: Bill Mosley
Tel.: (202) 366-5571
DOT 180-99
Secretary Slater Announces Open Skies
Agreement
With Tanzania, First in Africa
U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater announced that the United States and Tanzania agreed today to an Open Skies aviation relationship.
The agreement, which was initialed after two days of talks in Washington, is the first U.S. Open Skies agreement with an African country. The United States now has Open Skies agreements with 38 countries around the world.
"We are fast becoming a world without borders, and Africa must not be left out," Secretary Slater said. "Our ‘Safe Skies for Africa’ initiative is making great strides in improving aviation safety on the continent, and we are building on this success to establish better, more convenient U.S.-Africa air service, which is so critical to Africa’s integration into the global economy. We salute the Tanzanian government for its forward-looking efforts to achieve this watershed agreement."
The new agreement represents concrete results from the President's and Secretary’s efforts to establish closer ties with Africa. The accord also reflects Secretary Slater’s earlier contacts in Africa and Atlanta with African officials, and the Secretary expressed his hope and expectation that similar agreements with other African countries soon will follow.
Open Skies agreements permit unrestricted air service by the airlines of each country to, from and beyond the other’s territory, eliminating restrictions on how often carriers can fly, the kind of aircraft they can use, and the prices they can charge. The agreement will take effect immediately, with the exception of unrestricted rights for passenger charters which will be phased in over two years.
The Secretary noted that Tanzania is a participant in the Safe Skies initiative, announced by President Clinton last April, under which the United States is helping to bring the countries into compliance with international air safety and security standards. The Safe Skies team is scheduled to visit Tanzania on Nov. 15, the third of eight countries to receive technical assistance from the United States under this program. Reviews of Kenya and Cote d’Ivoire already have been completed, with five countries -- Angola, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Mali and Zimbabwe -- remaining.
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