The Maldives and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia today signed an agreement establishing air transport services between the two countries. At a special ceremony held at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, a Memorandum of Understanding on strengthening cooperation in the field of air transport between the two nations was also signed.
The agreements were signed on behalf of the Maldives by the Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Honourable Mohamed Ameen. Signing on behalf of the Government of Ethiopia was Mr. Yohannes Abera Belete, Director General of that country’s Civil Aviation Authority.
Speaking after the signing ceremony for the air transport agreement between the Maldives and Ethiopia, Minister Ameen said that Ethiopia is the sixth African nation with which the Maldives has concluded an air services agreement. He noted that previously the Maldives had established such agreements with Egypt, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles and South Africa.
Minister Ameen noted, “This agreement paves the way for scheduled direct flights to begin between the airlines of the two countries. The air transport agreement between the Maldives and Ethiopia has been established at a time when Ethiopia’s national airline, Ethiopian Airlines, has expressed interest in starting direct flights from Addis Ababa to the Maldives. Ethiopia is one of the fastest-growing economies on the African continent. Ethiopian Airlines is the largest airline in Africa, and the airline with the most extensive air transport network.”
Continuing on this theme, Minister Ameen said that increasing the number of tourists visiting the Maldives, expanding the tourism industry and advancing economic activity in a sustainable manner are important goals of the Government. He said this marks an important link added to the work being done to establish an air transport network that connects the Maldives to the wider world, with the aim of strengthening the country’s economic resilience.
The Minister also noted that this is a result being achieved under the sound policies pursued by the President to reduce the adverse effects that changes in the international arena have on the country’s economy and on people’s livelihoods, and to build a resilient air transport industry. In addition, he said this is an important step taken towards achieving the targets set for opening up direct routes to the Maldives from various hub airports around the world.
Minister Ameen said that this agreement, which paves the way for Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest airline, to begin flights to the Maldives, and for the national airline of the Maldives, Maldivian, to operate direct flights to Ethiopia, will open up further opportunities for the Maldives’ tourism and trade sectors. He also noted that the benefits and progress the Maldives gains in the field of air transport will increase as a result.
The Minister concluded his remarks by calling on partners in the tourism industry and members of the business community to move swiftly to make the fullest use of the benefits and gains of the agreement established between the Maldives and Ethiopia.