Ethiopian completes assembling helicopters to fight desert locust

Addis Ababa, October 22, 2020 (FBC) –Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopian) said it has completed assembling 3 helicopters that arrived in cargo for aerial chemical spraying to fight desert locust.

The locust invasion, which is Ethiopia’s worst in 25 years, attacked parts of Amhara, Oromia, Tigray, Afar and Somali regional states.

Briefing MPs last Monday, Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed urged the community to intensify its efforts to eradicate locusts, in addition to chemical spraying.

According to FAO, the situation has recently deteriorated in the eastern Amhara, south-eastern Tigray and eastern Oromia regions.

FAO projects it will have the record desert locust swarms that have plagued East Africa under control by the end of the year.