SEYCHELLES AND MADAGASCAR SIGN NEW BILATERAL AIR SERVICE AGREEMENT
(Posted 03rd May 2014)
The two Vanilla Island nations Seychelles and Madagascar last week signed a new BASA, aka Bilateral Air Services Agreement, putting air transport between the two on a new footing. The new deal has according to information received from Victoria taken into account the desire of all Vanilla Island members to improve and increase connectivity between them to encourage the flow of tourists visiting not just one, but two or more islands during their annual vacation.
Gilbert Faure, CEO of the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority and his counterpart from Madagascar, Director General of the MCAA James Andrianalisoa signed the new agreement in Victoria, giving hope to the prospect that Air Madagascar may resume services to Mahe or else Air Seychelles may begin to fly, under the new arrangements commence flights to Antananarivo or Nosy Be.
Seychelles Minister for Home Affairs and Transport Joel Morgan, according to details received said: ‘Seychelles’ determination to take the lead in modernising air services agreements is in line with our country’s goal to create more visibility for Seychelles and work with our neighbours to strengthen diplomatic relations and foster bilateral and regional growth’.
It should be recalled that the Seychelles’ President James Alix Michel twice hosted talks for the different factions of Madagascar on the island of Desroches last year which ultimately led to peaceful elections and the installation of a new president and government on Madagascar and the lifting of sanctions by SADC and other countries.
Tourism sources on the island credited the Vanilla Island Organisation, which will meet in mid-May in Antananarivo for the Madagascar International Tourism Trade Fair, for triggering the final push to sign the agreement at the time when Madagascar was present with a large delegation in the Seychelles as co-host of the annual Carnival International de Victoria at the end of April, signaling warm and friendly relations and suggesting that future tourism cooperation will be more intense to market both islands under twin and multi centre holidays.
