CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION DAY (ICAD)
07 December 2025 | Harare, Zimbabwe | Zimbabwe joins the global aviation community in celebrating the International Civil Aviation Day (ICAD).The Day was officially recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in 1996 to:
- Encourage awareness of the importance of international civil aviation to the sustainable development of Member States and,
- Support the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in fostering safe, secure, and environmentally responsible air transport for all.
The theme “Safe Skies, Sustainable Future,” underpins ICAO’s Vision which is driven by three Essential Aspirations that anchor its Strategic Plan for 2026 – 2050 namely:
- Zero fatalities in international aviation from accidents and acts of unlawful interference.
- Net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 for international civil aviation operations.
- Thriving, connected, accessible, inclusive, and affordable transport system for people and goods.
As part of its contribution to the ICAO Strategic Plan 2026 – 2050, the State, through the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ), under National Development Strategy 2 (NDS 2), has commenced the development of a State Safety Program (SSP) Implementation Plan which provides a clear roadmap for strengthening safety oversight and ensuring full compliance with aviation regulatory requirements.
In line with global efforts to reduce aviation’s environmental carbon footprint, Zimbabwe is actively implementing its State Action Plan (SAP) for carbon emissions reduction and participating in the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) program. CORSIA focuses on mitigating the environmental impact of international aviation through carbon off-setting measures.
Complementing these efforts, Zimbabwe is advancing its Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) initiatives. Through ICAO’s Assistance, Capacity-Building and Training for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (ACT-SAF), a Feasibility study was done and a report published in 2023 which placed Zimbabwe as a huge potential for SAF production given its feedstock potential. Currently a Business Implementation Plan is being finalised, paving the way for operationalization of the SAF project.
Zimbabwe is part to the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) which was created from the Yamoussoukro Decision of 1999, with the aim of liberalizing African air transport for open skies, increased connectivity, and economic growth, removing restrictions on air traffic rights, fostering an integrated African aviation market under the Africa Union Agenda 2063. The State is also operationalising Fifth Freedom traffic rights lor legacy airlines outside Africa, in line with its Open Skies Policy.
CAAZ, reaffirms its commitment and adherence to the ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), and to uphold the highest safety and security standards in all its regulatory functions. The organization’s integrity framework is essential for ensuring accountability and transparency.
The Authority acknowledges and appreciates the growing compliance culture, and deliberate cooperation and collaboration by all stakeholders as well as the huge appetite for collective decision making.
Happy International Civil Aviation Day!
www.caaz.co.zw
