The aviation sector in Zanzibar is currently served by Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (AAKIA) and Pemba Airport, both of which primarily serve routes within Tanzania. These airports are increasingly struggling to meet rising passengers traffic demands as Zanzibar’s tourism industry continues to grow. As of 2020, a new terminal at AAKIA is due to start operations, thereby more than doubling overall annual passenger capacity to 2.6 million.
In addition, feasibility studies to upgrade Pemba Airport to the status of an international gateway for passengers and cargo are under way while Kigunda airstrip has been earmarked as an alternative option. The area surrounding AAKIA has been declared a FEZ, but development has been underwhelming.
Aspirations
- Competitive airline services and airport infrastructure that meet appropriate international standards, including continuously upgrading and modernizing AAKIA and Pemba Airport as well as ensuring adequate air links between Zanzibar and the rest of the world;
- A suitable airport infrastructure plan with zoned reserve land for air strips and helipads where appropriate; and
- An operational Airport FEZ supported by the establishment of warehousing facilities to capture spill-overs between industry and transport.
Key Performance Indicators
| Indicator | Baseline 2019 | Target 2030 | Target 2040 | Target 2050 |
| Annual air traffic movement (no. of departures and arrivals) | 66,114 | 125,056 | 212,710 | 364,874 |
| Total annual passenger traffic | 1,523,326 | 2,828,011 | 4,824,626 | 8,599,608 |
| Total annual cargo traffic(tons) | 2,381 | 3,393 | 4,560 | 6,129 |
| Proportion of registered and operational businesses within Airport FEZ | 0 | 45 | 62 | 88 |
| Average time for passenger clearance(departures/arrivals) | 1hr/45min | 30min/35min | 30min/35min | 20min/20min |
The provision of Z-ARFFP at airports is intended to optimize the chances of survival of passengers and crew in the event of an accident. In general, the function of ARFFP is to rescue people from an aircraft that has crashed or caught fire during landing or take-off and to control and extinguish fires relating to aviation activities on the airport. Zanzibar aviation has an excellent safety record with no fatalities involving high capacity regular passenger transport aircraft1 in almost 40 years. But there is a continuing need for vigilance to ensure we adopt optimal safety arrangements that make the most effective use of available resources.
1 An aircraft that is certified as having maximum capacity seating exceeding 38 seats, or having a maximum payload capacity that exceeds 4,200kg 8 International Obligations Zanzibar is committed to adopting International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and recommended practices including the provision of aviation safety services. This is consistent with Tanzania’s membership of ICAO but also reflects the importance of aviation to the Zanzibar economy, trade and tourism industries. As a signatory to the International Convention on Civil Aviation 1944 (Chicago Convention), Tanzania generally adopts ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) including those for rescue and fire-fighting as set out in Chapter 9 of Annex 14 to the Chicago Convention.
Implementation of Z-ARFFP in Zanzibar. The current regulatory framework governing ARFFS is contained in the CASR Subpart 139.H and the associated Manual of Standards (MOS) and was established in 2002. Under the CASR, the purpose of Z – ARFFP is also expected to respond to other fires (not just aircraft fires) at the aerodrome. The CASR and the associated MOS operate so that Z – ARFFP must be provided at aerodromes:
- from or to which an international passenger air service operates; and
- any other aerodrome where the number of passenger movements has reached 350,000 in the previous financial year. While the CASR broadly aligns with ICAO requirements, in practice there are some differences in terms of how Z-ARFFP is delivered in Zanzibar, notably with respect to ICAO’s standard that Z-ARFFP is provided at all aerodromes. In this regard, Tanzania has lodged a difference with ICAO stating that Z-ARFFP, in compliance, is not provided at all alternate international aerodromes and outlines the establishment criteria adopted by Zanzibar.
The air transport industry plays a major role in global economic activity and development. One of the key elements to maintaining the vitality of civil aviation is to ensure safe, secure, efficient, and environmentally sustainable operations at the global, regional, and national levels.
The aviation sector in Zanzibar is currently served by Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (AAKIA) and Pemba Airport, both of which primarily serve routes within Tanzania. These airports are increasingly struggling to meet rising passenger traffic demands as Zanzibar’s tourism industry continues to grow.
As of 2020, a new terminal at AAKIA is due to start operations, thereby more than doubling the overall annual passenger capacity to 2.6 million.
In addition, feasibility studies to upgrade Pemba Airport to the status of an international gateway for passengers and cargo are underway while the Kigunda airstrip has been earmarked as an alternative option. The area surrounding AAKIA has been declared a FEZ, but development has been underwhelming.
The Fire and Rescue Services was established a long time before Zanzibar Revolutionary 1964 as a small unit under Police Department.
After the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar in 1964, the Fire and Rescue Services remain part of the Police Department until December 1978 when Zanzibar Fire Department was organized under the Ministry of Communication and Transport – Zanzibar.
As the Fire and Rescue Services natures follow force discipline in her operation, in 1994, the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar relocate its operation to the President’s office, regional administration, local government, and special departments of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar.
The Fire and Rescue Force (KZU) is a Special Department of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar established under Act No.7 of 1999.
The General duties of the Fire and Rescue Force (KZU) in Zanzibar are to prevent and minimize death rates, injury to the people, and damage to properties arising from fire, floods, earthquakes, air, and road traffic accidents, and other disasters and to render humanitarian assistant.
According to the CCM election Manifesto 2020 – 2025, Clause Number 158(O) states that:
“To Capacity Fire and Rescue Services to implement its responsibility in order to ensure fire safety and rescue operations in different places in the country, especially to the specific strategic National projects including constructions and extension of airports, seaports, constructions of industries, electricity projects and oil and gas projects, and exploration of the minerals”.
Also, Zanzibar Development Plan (ZADEP), 2021-2026, is a Successor strategy for the Zanzibar Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (ZSGRP/MKUZA III, 2016-2020) developed following the inauguration of the Zanzibar Development Vision 2050.
“The Blue economy for inclusive growth and sustainable development”
The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar has determined to utilize its ocean resources to drive the development agenda outlined in the Zanzibar Development Vision 2050 and the Zanzibar Blue Economy Policy. The decision to base Zanzibar’s long-term strategic direction on the blue economy is justified by, on the one hand, its limited inland resources, and, on the other, its strategic geographical location providing opportunities to create significant ocean-based wealth.
The Fire and Rescue Force (KZU) – Zanzibar is a committed institution in the blue economy vision including the elimination of blue economic loss from fire and related hazards. An important component in realizing that loss is its measured-what are the various dimensions of the blue economic impact of fire? How can this be measured so that the cost of fire prevention and other interventions can be weighed against their benefits?
Air travel fatalities have been recorded in each of the last 16 years, with a total of 176 deaths in 2021 due to air crashes. According to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, Air traffic fatalities refer to an incident where a person is fatally injured due to an occurrence associated with the operation of the aircraft. This definition covers any time from when the first person starts boarding to when the final person disembarks the plane. Corporate jet and military transport accidents are generally excluded.
Port health provides different services to ensure the full fill of travelers and staffs needs are satisfied at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (AAKIA), core capacity of IHR (2005), International Point of Entries standards criteria, and PHERP of AAKIA are required at least two designated transport for both emergency and routines services to transfer the ill patient or suspected of diseases to assigned health facilities.
On the date, 18 February 2021 medical health personnel visit, the fire ambulance to inspect how the facility is equipped on responding to any medical emergency events that may occur at PoE and final to recommend which needs are required for the ambulance to provide proper services according to criteria of designated Ambulance at International Airport.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It changes the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth. Its headquarters is located in the Quartier International of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
191 Member States. Tanzania became a member of ICAO on 23rd April 1962 after ratifying the Chicago Convention.
- 19 August 2019: The plane has burst the ball at the apron
- 21 November 2019: The sick from the plane-Fly Dubai A6 5H-XLL.
- 03 December 2019: Oil spills on the plane-Fly Mango ZS-SJF
- 19 January 2020: The sick from the plane-Qatar A7-ADC.
- 03 February 2020: Aircraft engine failure
- 22 December 2020: The hydraulic leakage in the aircraft ball
- 15 June 2021: Aircraft engine failure
- 29 August 2021: Receive the dead body from the plane
- 12 April 2022: Receive patient suffers from high blood pressure on the plane
- 26 March 2022: Receive dead body from Fly Dubai A6-FMB
- 13 February 2022: The plane fell in the runway-Fly Zanzibar 5H-PEY.
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