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The East African Business Council has urged the East African Community partners to fast track the opening of air transport services to boost regional trade, tourism and hospitality sectors.

The council appreciated the measures by EAC countries to resume flights. They said resumption of flights will revive the aviation sector which was greatly affected by the pandemic.

Tanzania resumes international flights on May 18, and domestic flights on June 18. Kenya resumes domestic flights on July 15 while Rwanda is expected to resume international flights on August 1.

EABC executive director Peter Mathuki said the EAC countries need coordinated guidelines and measures for opening the regional aviation.

“The EAC Partner States need to come up with regional coordinated guidelines and measures on the opening of the regional aviation sector to bolster consumer confidence and support the recovery of the sector,” he said.

He added that opening of regional aviation sector will stimulate economic activities not only in the sector but to also in the tourism sector which has been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.