Gambiaj.com – (Banjul, The Gambia) – As revealed by The Gambia Journal in August 2024, The Gambia has found itself linked to a controversial aircraft transfer that may aid Belarus’ state-owned airline, Belavia, in circumventing Western sanctions, raising concerns over the country’s role in global aviation transactions.

According to a Reuters investigation published today, three Airbus A330 planes formerly registered to Gambian airline Magic Air were transferred to Belarus and are now in the process of being acquired by Belavia. This development comes amid Western sanctions that have cut off Belarus and its ally, Russia, from access to aircraft and spare parts following Minsk’s forced landing of a Ryanair flight in 2021 and Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

While The Gambia is not bound by aviation sanctions on Belarus, its regulatory framework has drawn scrutiny. Magic Air, a little-known private airline registered in The Gambia, has no online presence and is owned primarily by Jordanian national Tareq Ziad Abdel Hamid Al Ajami.

The Gambian Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) confirmed that Magic Air sold the aircraft to a United Arab Emirates-based buyer before they were flown to Minsk and removed from the Gambian register on August 19, 2024.

GCAA Director General Fansu Bojang stated that the agency received proper notification of the sale and deregistration, indicating that The Gambia had no direct involvement in their final transfer to Belarus. However, the transaction highlights the loopholes that allow sanctioned countries to acquire critical assets through intermediary nations.

Aviation industry experts warn that if Belavia successfully integrates the aircraft into its fleet, Russia could use similar methods to obtain Western-made planes despite ongoing restrictions. This raises broader geopolitical concerns, as Western governments continue to pressure third-party nations to avoid facilitating transactions that indirectly support Belarus and Russia.

Magic Air’s activities also add to The Gambia’s growing association with global sanction-evasion networks. While the country itself is not under aviation-related restrictions, some Gambian-registered vessels have been sanctioned by the U.S., UK, and EU for their role in transporting Russian oil as part of the so-called “shadow fleet.”

Belavia, which currently operates only Boeing aircraft, is reportedly retraining pilots to operate the Airbus planes. If successfully refurbished, the planes could join its fleet as early as this spring, helping the airline address increasing passenger demand in Belarus.

The governments of Belarus, Russia, and The Gambia’s information ministry did not respond to requests for comment. Meanwhile, aircraft manufacturer Airbus has reiterated that it complies with all sanctions and has no legal mechanism to prevent third-party transactions involving used planes.

As global enforcement of aviation sanctions intensifies, The Gambia’s role in such transactions is likely to face heightened scrutiny, with potential diplomatic and regulatory implications for its aviation industry.

Source: Reuters