An agreement has been signed between Ethiopian Airlines and the government of Zambia to relaunch Zambia Airways, a carrier which ceased operations more than two decades ago.
The government will be the major shareholder in the airline with 55 percent stake, while Ethiopian will have the remainder.
Tewolde Gebremariam, chief executive of Ethiopian Airlines, said: “The launching of Zambia Airways will enable the travelling public in Zambia and the Southern African region to enjoy greater connectivity options, thereby facilitating the flow of investment, trade and tourism, and contributing to the socio-economic growth of the country and the region.”
The new incarnation of Zambia Airways will initially focus on national and regional destinations before embarking on international flights.
“As an indigenous and truly Pan-African airline, we firmly believe that it is only through partnerships among African carriers that the aviation industry of the continent will be able to get its fair share of the African market, currently heavily skewed in favour of non-African airlines, and play its rightful role in availing efficient air connectivity within Africa as well as with the rest of the world,” added Gebremariam.
Zambia has been without a national carrier since Zambia Airways ceased trading in the mid-1990s.
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