Nigeria, Israel to sign BASA

Nigeria is to sign Bilateral Air Service Agreement, BASA, with the State of Israel.This is the first ever air service agreement between the two countries. Previous attempts to sign BASA in 2005 and 2012 were unsuccessful.The agreement is expected to be signed this week during President Jonathan’s Pilgrimage to the Holy Land.According to Joe Obi, Special Assistant, Media, to the Aviation Minister, “the agreement is a culmination of months of rigorous negotiations between the two countries.“The landmark agreement comes as a clear validation of the nation’s high safety and security ratings by international aviation bodies, especially the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, and improvement in the infrastructure of the aviation sector in the last two years.“The agreement will pave way for direct flights between both territories on the principle of reciprocity by designated airlines of both countries.“Before now, Nigerians traveling to Israel, including Christian pilgrims, have had to endure long-winding stop-overs in neighbouring countries before being finally airlifted to the Holy Land.”Obi further said the agreement also adequately addresses the question of imbalances in the BASA between Nigeria and other contracting countries.He said that under the terms of the agreement, Nigeria and Israel will enjoy equal rights and privileges, as against past BASAs that were heavily skewed against Nigerian airlines