Uganda and Serbia have signed a new Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), a strategic move to enhance trade, connectivity, and air transport regulation between the two countries. The Memorandum of Understanding for the BASA was signed on October 25, 2024, on the sidelines of the Joint Commission for Trade Cooperation, which took place in Serbia from October 23-27, 2024.
The Ugandan delegation was led by Gen. Wilson Mbadi, the State Minister for Trade at the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives. Other officials in attendance included representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Works and Transport, the State House Diaspora Affairs Unit, the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID), and the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA).
The BASA agreement between Uganda and Serbia aims to pave the way for new flight routes between the two nations, bolstering connectivity and creating significant trade and tourism opportunities. According to Vianney Mpuuga Lugya, the Public Relations Officer of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the partnership is expected to provide a regulated framework that will facilitate air travel and open up new economic avenues for both countries.
The signing in Serbia follows similar achievements for Uganda at the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Air Services Negotiation Event (ICAN) held in Malaysia from October 21-25, 2024. At ICAN, Uganda also formalized a BASA with Oman and held preliminary discussions with Latvia, further strengthening the nation’s global aviation ties. Uganda’s BASA partnerships have now reached a total of fifty-eight (58), an increase from fifty-six (56).
“BASAs such as these represent a crucial framework for establishing reliable air transport links, which are essential for economic growth and international trade,” said Gen. Mbadi. “This partnership with Serbia is part of Uganda’s larger effort to enhance its global connectivity, boost trade, and encourage tourism growth.”
The BASA agreements with Serbia and Oman are set to provide Uganda with valuable opportunities for increased exports, investments, and tourism, while also enhancing the country’s position in the global aviation network.
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