Mozambique and Zimbabwe recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the aviation sector during the visit of the Mozambican Minister of Transport and Communications, Mateus Magala, to Harare. The agreement aims to promote cooperation and mutual assistance in the investigation of accidents and serious incidents involving aircraft in the territories of both countries.
According to the MoU, if an air disaster occurs in one of the states, that state can request assistance from the other party to conduct an investigation, in accordance with the provisions of the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation. The document also establishes that both countries can request information on the progress of an investigation related to an incident, and efforts must be made to comply with such requests.
In addition, each party must facilitate the dispatch of investigators, consultants, experts or observers from the other party in their investigations of accidents and serious incidents involving civil aircraft, in accordance with their laws and regulations. The MoU specifies that each state will bear its own costs for the actions provided for in the agreement, unless otherwise specified. It also emphasizes that the purpose of any air accident investigation should not be interpreted as an investigation to assign blame or responsibility to the other party.
The cooperation aims to prevent air accidents in both countries involving aircraft from the signatory states. Finally, the MoU stipulates that each state must conduct an investigation into the circumstances of an accident in accordance with the procedures of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
