SPEECH DELIVERED BY HONOURABLE FRANK TAYALI, M.P., MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS, AT THE OCCASION OF THE ZAMBIA AIRWAYS SOLWEZI ROUTE LAUNCH
Apr 25, 2022
HON. PROVINCIAL MINISTER OF NORTH WESTERN PROVINCE;
HON. MINISTER OF TOURISM;
PERMANENT SECRETARY, NORTH WESTERN PROVINCE;
THE BOARD, MANAGEMENT AND STAFF OF ZAMBIA AIRWAYS (2014) LTD;
THE DIRECTOR GENERAL, CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY;
THE ACTING MANAGING DIRECTOR, ZAMBIA AIRPORTS CORPORATION LTD;
SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN ATTENDANCE;
MEMBERS OF THE PRESS;
DISTINGUISHED INVITED GUESTS;
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU IN SOLWEZI, THE NEW COPPERBELT, AS I OFFICIATE THE LAUNCH OF THE SOLWEZI ROUTE. THIS IS A GREAT OCCASION AS IT MARKS THE EXPANSION OF THE NEW WINGS OF AFRICA TO THE NORTH WESTERN PROVINCE OF OUR BELOVED COUNTRY.
SPEAKING OF THE NORTH WESTERN PROVINCE, WE ALL KNOW OF THE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE HERE. AS WE TRAVEL TO NORTH WESTERN PROVINCE TO EXPLORE AND EXPLOIT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ABOUND, WE WILL NOW HAVE THE OPTION TO FLY HERE BY ZAMBIA AIRWAYS, THE EPITOME OF TRUE ZAMBIAN HOSPITALITY.
ZAMBIA AIRWAYS FLIGHTS TO THIS REGION WILL ACT AS DRIVERS OF THE REGIONAL ECONOMY AND ENSURE THE GROWTH OF THE REGION. MY MINISTRY LOOKS FORWARD TO BEING AN ENABLER OF NATIONAL GROWTH THROUGH THE NATIONAL CARRIER.
AS YOU MAY RECALL, WE LAUNCHED THE FIRST FLIGHTS OF ZAMBIA AIRWAYS ON 1ST DECEMBER 2021, A LAUNCH THAT NO DOUBT INSPIRED NATIONAL PRIDE IN OUR CITIZENS. TODAY, WE CAN SAFELY SAY THAT MORE AND MORE ZAMBIANS HAVE BECOME REGULAR FLYERS. I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE ZAMBIA AIRWAYS TEAM FOR MAINTAINING A HIGH LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM AND A WORLD CLASS AIRLINE LEADERSHIP THAT CAN BE BENCHMARKED BY MANY STARTING AIRLINES.
THE EXPANSION TO SOLWEZI MARKS AN IMPORTANT VALIDATION OF THE NEW DAWN GOVERNMENT’S BELIEF IN, AND USE OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS (PPPS) TO DELIVER INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC SERVICES. THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES GROUP (ET), ZAMBIA AIRWAYS IS SYNERGISING TO TAP ON THE BUSINESS MODEL THAT HELPED ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES TO BE IN THE TOP FIVE OF WORLD AIRLINES, IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF COUNTRIES SERVED.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ZAMBIA HAS A HUGE AND UNTAPPED POTENTIAL IN THE AVIATION SECTOR, AS THE COUNTRY IS NATURALLY SITUATED TO BE AN AVIATION HUB. THE NEW DAWN GOVERNMENT HAS A STRONG BELIEF THAT THE NEW ZAMBIA AIRWAYS PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE PROCESS OF ENABLING ZAMBIA TO BE THE AVIATION HUB OF THE REGION AND BEYOND. FURTHERMORE, I AM HOPEFUL THAT THE INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT AND STAFF OF ZAMBIA AIRWAYS SHALL CONTRIBUTE ITS SHARE IN BUILDING A BRAND OF EXCELLENCE AND TOP-NOTCH EXPERTISE FOR ZAMBIA, THAT CAN INSPIRE NOT ONLY THE LOCAL AVIATION INDUSTRY, BUT ALSO ALL RELATED SECTORS.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I’M ALSO DELIGHTED TO REPORT THAT THE NATIONAL CARRIER OF ZAMBIA HAS CREATED A NEW CLASS OF FLYERS. THIS IS A MARKET THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN UNSERVED, BUT THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NATIONAL CARRIER HAS GIVEN MORE FLIGHT OPTIONS AND AFFORDABILITY TO THE PUBLIC.
TODAY, WE CAN SEE THAT THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOR ZAMBIA AIRWAYS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS SET A GOAL OF OPERATING 12 STATE-OF-THE-ART AIRCRAFTS THAT WILL CARRY OVER 1.9 MILLION PASSENGERS BY 2028. THEREFORE, THIS EXPANSION SHOWS US THAT, WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY TO ACHIEVING THIS GOAL.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, GOVERNMENT WOULD LIKE TO ASSURE THE AIRLINE OF OUR WHOLEHEARTED SUPPORT IN THIS MISSION. WE AS UPND CAME TO GOVERNMENT WITH AN AGENDA TO BETTER ZAMBIANS’ WAY OF LIFE AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CHEAPER AND FASTER TRANSPORT OPTION.
IN CONCLUSION, MY MINISTRY WISHES TO CONGRATULATE THE BOARD, MANAGEMENT AND STAFF OF THE NEW ZAMBIA AIRWAYS ON THIS HIGHLY COMMENDABLE ACHIEVEMENT. I ALSO IMPLORE AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE ON THIS OPPORTUNITY OF REDEFINING THE ZAMBIA AIRWAYS LEGACY BY MAKING IT WORK FOR REGIONAL AND NATIONAL PRIDE AND POSTERITY.
MAKING IT WORK FOR ZAMBIA’S AVIATION SECTOR!
MAKING IT WORK FOR YOUR BUSINESS MODEL, BECAUSE I KNOW IT DEPENDS ON IT! OUR ECONOMY MOST CERTAINLY DEPENDS ON IT AND OUR COUNTRY DEPENDS ON IT!
I THANK YOU!