The cover story is on the widely debated re-establishment of a national airline. The former national airline graced the skies for the last time more than two decades ago before it was grounded due to various reasons among them financial mismanagement. The news of re-instating the national airline has been received with mixed feelings ranging from renewed hope to outright scepticism by stakeholders. Those who are hopeful believe a national airline is key to unlocking the potential of a number of sectors such as tourism. Notwithstanding these mixed feelings, a national airline, Zambia Airways (2014) Ltd is taking off again. Thus, our lead article titled; “Buckle up for the National Airline” endeavours to provide some recommendations on what the airline should consider if wanting to stay afloat this time around. In addition to the national airline story, another interesting piece to read is on the Urgency of Urban Public Transport Reforms in Zambia. Many individuals are shunning the public transport system because it is ineffective and have poor service quality. The Government is committed to correct the situation and has revised the transport policy and I am delighted to state that ZIPAR was actively involved in its development. As the policy received Cabinet approval and is earmarked for an official launch, our article outlines policy recommendations that the Government should consider to facilitate institutional preparedness for the reforms. This edition is loaded with several other topical issues ranging from what the African Continental Free Trade Integration entails for Zambia, Jobs in the Gulf and China-Zambia Relations in development cooperation. These and many more stories are a must read!
