US, Angola sign Open Skies agreement
Luanda, Angola (PANA) - The US and Angola have signed an Open Skies Air Transport Agreement in Luanda to advance their bilateral aviation cooperation, the US Department of State announced on Monday.
It said in a press release that the Agreement brings the civil aviation transportation relationship between the United States and Angola to the highest modern standard.
It was signed by the U.S. Ambassador to Angola Tulinabo S. Mushingi and Angola's Secretary of State for International Cooperation and Angolan Communities Ambassador Domingos Custodio Vieira Lopes.
The press release said the Agreement expands their “strong economic and commercial partnership, promotes people-to-people ties, and creates new opportunities for travellers, shippers, and airlines, promoting tourism and commerce”.
It said by concluding this “pro-consumer, pro-growth, pro-competition agreement”, Angola joins a community of partners committed to maintaining an open and modern air services agreement as well as high standards of aviation safety and security.
The Agreement includes “unrestricted capacity and frequency of services for both passenger and all-cargo carriers, open route rights, an open charter regime, self-handling provisions, and open code-sharing opportunities".
The press release said the agreement, which has been applied since it was initialled in April 2023, will enter into force following an exchange of diplomatic notes confirming that the necessary internal procedures have been completed.
The new Agreement builds on a framework of U.S. Open Skies agreements with more than 135 other partners that enable U.S. air carriers to operate and expand flight networks beyond U.S. borders and connect the U.S. economy to growing markets.
-0- PANA MA 22Oct2024
