DAR ES SALAAM: The government has renewed calls for faster ratification and domestication of international air law treaties, arguing that a coherent legal framework is essential to manage rapid technological change in global aviation.
Attorney General Hamza Johari said emerging developments such as artificial intelligence, unmanned aircraft systems and cybersecurity risks were transforming the aviation sector and creating new legal challenges.
“These developments offer significant opportunities but also raise complex regulatory questions. We must rethink how we legislate and enforce aviation laws,” he said at an air law workshop organised by the aviation authority and the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
Johari said global aviation supports economic growth, trade and tourism, but benefits depend on harmonised international legal standards.
Tanzania hosts Africa’s first global forum on cooperative law
The workshop brought together more than 150 participants, including international delegates, to examine treaty obligations and implementation processes. Officials said the forum would help states identify legal gaps and strengthen aviation regulation across jurisdictions.
Director General of the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority Salim Msangi described the event as a learning platform to support treaty ratification and incorporation into national law.
Ratification of international conventions promotes uniform procedures among states, improving predictability and legal certainty in cross-border aviation operations.
ICAO legal officials noted that international air law treaties underpin global aviation safety and sustainability, with 24 conventions forming the legal framework anchored in the Chicago Convention.
Experts say stronger legal harmonisation will be essential as aviation evolves in response to technological innovation and emerging security challenges.