Foreign currency shortage hampers work on airports in Zimbabwe

The Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) program of refurbishing the country's major airports has been hampered by lack of foreign currency.

CAAZ acting general manager Ezra Mazambara was quoted on Monday by the Herald as saying that the lack of foreign currency was affecting the progress of the exercise.

"We have problems in funding and we have forwarded our concerns to the relevant taskforce dealing with the issue," Mazambara said.

He said the upgrading exercise included refurbishment of the lighting system at both Harare International Airport and Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Airport.

Mazambara said CAAZ had a back up system of generators used in the lighting system at major airports in the event of electricity blackouts although sometimes they encountered fuel shortages.

It is reported that the authority was negotiating with foreign and local investors to seal joint ventures to upgrade airports in line with international standards.

There were some investors willing to enter into joint ventures with the authority though details of the negotiations were still to be finalized.

The CAAZ has also been courting Asian investors on joint ventures in line with the government's "Look East Policy."

Source: Xinhua