AFRAA, Ethiopian agree on aviation academy, training activities

Addis Ababa, March 12, 2021 (FBC) – Africa Airlines Association (AFRAA) today announced an industry-first Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopian) on training that will facilitate a framework of collaboration between AFRAA and Ethiopian Aviation Academy that aims at achieving common objectives on the training of aviation professionals across the African continent.

AFRAA’s Secretary-General, Abdérahmane Berthé and Ethiopian Group CEO Tewolde Gembremariam, accompanied by their respective leadership teams held a consultative meeting at Ethiopian headquarters in Addis Ababa.

Among others, AFRAA’s on-going projects geared towards fostering collaboration among its members were noted including cost reduction and creation of synergies among African airlines.

Various areas of advocacy by AFRAA for the sustainability of African aviation through the promotion of intra-Africa travel, reduction of high operating costs and infrastructural development were also discussed.

The collaboration will support the development of a sustainable and safe air transport system in Africa and thereby effectively contribute to the continent’s economic development and integration.

The MoU was signed by Mr Mesay Shiferaw, Managing Director – Ethiopian Aviation academy and Mr Abdérahmane Berthé, AFRAA Secretary-General, according to AirlineGeeks.

Meanwhile, Ethiopian has announced that it has operated COVID-19 vaccine delivery flights from Mumbai to Addis Ababa and from Beijing to Brazzaville.

The airline transported the first batch of corona vaccines from Mumbai to Addis Ababa on March 6, 2021, and continued to play its prominent role in the vaccine distribution transporting the vaccines from Beijing to Brazzaville via Addis Ababa on March 10, 2021.

Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics Services, the cargo unit of Ethiopian Airlines Group, has been instrumental in facilitating the flow of medical supplies including PPE across the globe in support of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by deploying its state-of-the-art cargo terminal, which is the largest in Africa with an annual capacity of around one million tons and compartmentalized temperature-controlled led cold storage facilities.

Ethiopian is a major cargo partner of WHO, WFP, donor governments and philanthropists in facilitating the flow of essential medical supplies owing to the massive cargo facility including Pharma Wing, large and dedicated freighters and well-trained manpower.