Tanzania, Kenya to resolve airline bans 'within three days'

Tanzania and Kenya have said they will soon resolve travel bans imposed on the airlines of either countries.

Tanzania had earlier Monday blocked Kenya Airways (KQ) passenger flights from travelling to and from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's commercial capital.

Tanzania's move was in response to Kenya's move prohibiting Air Tanzania from operating cargo flights between Nairobi and other countries.

Tanzania's Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation January Makamba said he had spoken with his Kenyan counterpart, Musalia Mudavadi, and agreed to lift the travel restrictions soon.

'No cause for alarm'

"We agree that restrictions of air travel between our countries and from any of our country to a third country shouldn't stand. With relevant authorities, we've resolved to settle this issue, per existing agreements, within three days," Makamba said on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday.

On his part, Mudavadi, who also communicated on X, said: "We have jointly agreed that our respective civil aviation authorities will work together to have the matter resolved amicably within the next three days. There should therefore be no cause for alarm."

While announcing the ban on KQ passenger flights, the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority Tanzania said Kenya had breached "Section 4 of the Memorandum of Understanding on Air Services, between Tanzania and Kenya signed on November 24, 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya."