The direct flight that Air Algérie started to Addis Ababa today will play a great role in bolstering the bilateral relations between the two countries, including people-to-people ties, trade exchange, tourism, and investment flow, according to Ethiopian and Algerian officials.
To connect the capital cities of the two countries, Air Algérie will have two flight frequencies a week flying on Mondays and Fridays from Addis Ababa, and every Tuesday and Saturday departing from Algiers.
Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Algeria, Nebiat Getachew said the new direct flight is expected to improve the bilateral relationship, overall socio-economic interactions, people-to-people, trade, tourism, and investment.
Ethiopia and Algeria enjoy strong bilateral relations with a particular focus on political and diplomatic relations and registered various successes, but the economic and trade exchange was not satisfactory as such, he noted.
According to him, especially in the past year, high-level government officials of both countries have been discussing and works were underway to particularly facilitate direct flight connection between the capitals of the two countries to bolster the bilateral relations.
Algerian Minister of Transport Youcef Chorfa appreciated the efforts made by the Ethiopian authorities, which culminated in the opening of this air route, allowing the opening of new horizons of cooperation in various fields, especially economic and trade, and ensuring the movement of people and goods.
“The historic, first, direct flight that Air Algeria started from Algeris to Addis Ababa today will play a key role to boost the relations between the two countries, especially trade, investment, and the people-to-people ties,” Nebiat said.
Air Algérie CEO, Yacine Benslimane said the Algers-Addis Ababa direct flight with two weekly frequencies is the 9th destination in Africa for the airlines and the link is crucial to enhance the relations between the countries.
“I take also this good opportunity to invite Ethiopian Airlines to open a direct air route between Addis Ababa and Algiers, to make Algiers
International Airport a pole and a gateway to world capitals as a hub,” the Algerian minister said.
The flight link is the embodiment of one of the commitments of the leaders of the two countries, he said.
President Sahle- work Zewde’s working visit to Algeria in July 2022, included the opening of a direct air route between Algeria and Addis Ababa, which will contribute to giving a new dynamism to bilateral cooperation relations, the minister added.
Mentioning that Ethiopian Airlines flies to over 63 destinations in Africa using Addis Ababa as a hub, Ethiopian Airlines CEO, Mesfin Tasew said Ethiopian has been aspiring to connect the cities but was not successful thus far in directly connecting the cities and countries in north and Sub-saharan Africa.
“But we are ready and willing to partner with Air Algérie in connecting Algeria to Eastern Africa using Addis Ababa as a hub,” Mesfin said.
“Today, Air Algérie made the first flight connecting the two cities and it is a great day for the two countries,” he said, adding that it will enhance people-to-people, trade, tourism, and trade.
Ethiopian Airlines is also interested in partnering with Air Algérie to enhance this connectivity with more frequencies and better connectivity, Mesfin added.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency