Keyamo holds meeting with UAE officials as Emirates flight resumes operation October 1
The federal government, through the Ministry of Aviation on Friday, finalised an agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities to guarantee reciprocal rights for Nigerian airlines willing to start flying to any of the UAE cities, especially Dubai, ahead of the resumption of flights to Nigeria by Emirates on October 1.
Though Nigeria has an existing bilateral air service agreement (BASA) with the UAE, the agreement on reciprocal rights would enable Nigerian carriers to reciprocate flights to the Middle Eastern country without much hassle.
It would be recalled that before the suspension of visa issuance to Nigerians by the UAE, Air Peace was operating direct flights to Dubai while other airlines were also planning to begin flights to the country.
But before Emirates suspended Nigerian flights, there was a strained diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and the UAE, resulting in the Nigerian government reducing Emirates’ 21 frequencies to one.
The decision was in response to the refusal of the UAE aviation authorities to grant Air Peace the right to fly to Dubai International Airport, UAE’s tier-one airport.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, led a high-level Nigerian delegation to the UAE to finalise negotiations before the commencement of Emirates’ flights to avoid issues of the past.
The Minister, accompanied by his technical team, engaged in constructive discussions with UAE aviation authorities to ensure smooth reintroduction of Emirates Airlines into the Nigerian airspace next week Tuesday.
The reviewed BASA, a focal point of the talks, is designed to enhance collaboration between the two countries and establish guidelines for their evolving relationship in the aviation sector, according to a statement from the Minister’s Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood.
He said, “Crucially, the negotiations also yielded a significant agreement on reciprocal rights, ensuring that Nigerian airlines will soon have the opportunity to commence direct flight operations to the UAE.
“This marks a historic development for Nigeria’s aviation industry, expanding international connectivity and offering more options to travellers between the two nations.”
The statement quoted the Minister as saying, “Today’s discussions reaffirm our commitment to fostering a balanced and forward-looking partnership with the UAE. We are pleased to have secured reciprocal operational rights for Nigerian airlines, which will not only deepen our bilateral ties but also strengthen the global competitiveness of Nigeria’s aviation industry. As Emirates returns to Nigeria, we look forward to a thriving and mutually beneficial air service relationship.”
