Switzerland and Zambia sign aviation agreement
Following an air services agreement signed with the UK just before Christmas (see ITJ 01-04/2019 out today), the Swiss Federal councillor Ignazio Cassis signed an air services agreement this week in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, with the country's acting minister of transport and communications Kafwaya Mutotwe.
As a measure with the potential to strengthen economic relations, the agreement guarantees well-defined access for civil aviation and should soon be followed by the opening of a direct air link between Lusaka and Zurich or Geneva which would help to stimulate the bilateral economic relations.
These remain modest for the moment, but could be improved, as shown by the visit of a Swiss economic delegation to the country last October, and the global trend which saw foreign direct investment in Zambia grow by 64% in 2017. (ah)