The global trade association of airlines, International Air Transport Association (IATA), commends the strong recovery of Ethiopian airlines from the COVID-19 crisis which has been integral in enhancing regional connectivity in continent. The association also called on the government of Ethiopia to act swiftly to clear the 95 million dollars in airline funds blocked from repatriation to ensure the country’s connectivity.
IATA which held a two day ‘Focus Africa’ conference in Addis Ababa on June 21-22 saw the conference bringing together airline CEOs along with aviation leaders, decision makers and influencers from Africa, the Middle East and the globe, who converged to collaboratively drive the advancement of aviation in Africa.
The conference focused on six priorities including: strengthening aviation’s contribution to the continent’s economic and social development, improving connectivity, safety and reliability for passengers and shippers.
As indicated at the meeting, Ethiopian airline’s regional connectivity in the continent stood at 113% of pre-crisis levels. According to IATA’s Connectivity Index and Passenger traffic originating from Ethiopia tracked at 19% above pre-crisis levels in the first quarter of 2023.
“Ethiopia’s aviation industry is set to triple by 2040, with an average 6% growth in passenger traffic over the next 17 years,” said Willy Walsh, General Director of the IATA.
“Ethiopian Airlines is performing very well. Our current performance, in all parameters, indicates that our success will continue strong. We have recovered well from the impacts of the pandemic. By the end of this fiscal year, we expect to generate USD6.1 billion, this is a 20% growth compared to our last year’s performance. We will be transporting 13.7 million passengers which is also a 55% increase from same period last year,” said Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO, MesfinTasew

“While our operations and milestones continue to be persistent, we still have challenges regarding expatriating our accumulated funds in various countries,
Mesfin stated indicating that the airline is suffering with stranded blocked funds in several countries at over USD180 million.
In complement, IATA’s General Director also called upon the government of Ethiopia to clear airline’s blocked funds stating, “The low allocation of USD to the aviation industry by the Ethiopian Government and Central Bank means that $95 million in airline funds are blocked in the country. It’s time for the government to work with the industry to resolve this situation quickly.”
At the conference, many strongly argued that the implementation of a single African air transport market will be key to unlocking travel within the continent fostering the growth of sustainable aviation fuel /SAF/.
IATA demanded the Ethiopian government to explore developing and incentivizing SAF production as the country has the potential to become one of the biggest SAF producers with unique feed stocks, vast land area, and significant solar potential providing opportunities for both biomass feed stocks and renewable non-biomass feed stocks like solar and wind power-to-liquid (PtL) solutions.
“The Ethiopian government is uniquely positioned to stimulate SAF production, a move that would not only support the forecast surge in air travel but also trigger substantial job creation and boost the local economy. Ethiopia has the opportunity to take the lead, and in doing so, construct an aviation future that is as sustainable as it is successful,” said Walsh.
IATA has also launched the Collaborative Aviation Safety Improvement Program (CASIP) to reduce the accident and serious incident rate across Africa as part of the Focus Africa initiative.
Launch partners in the program are said to be: The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), The African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Boeing, and the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA).
Together, the CASIP partners will prioritize the most pressing safety concerns on the continent and rally the resources needed to address them. The benefits of improving aviation safety in Africa will be spread across the economies and societies of the continent.
“CASIP will make it clear to governments across the continent that aviation must be prioritized as an integral part of national development strategies. With such broad benefits at stake, we hope that other parties will be encouraged to join the CASIP effort,” IATA’s Director General stated.
Over the next 15 years, African passengers’ traffic is expected to double with the greatest potential and opportunity. However, infrastructure constraints, high cost, lack of connectivity, regulatory impediments, slow adoption of global standards and skill shortage are some limitation hindering the growth of the sector in the continent.

Doraleh Multipurpose Port (DMP) and China Merchants Port (South China) General Bulk Management Center recently achieved a significant milestone in their partnership, with the aim of reducing downtime and improving the quality of port services. The two entities came together to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that focuses on promoting equipment maintenance at the DMP.
The signing ceremony, attended by high-level personalities, emphasized the commitment of both parties to strengthening their collaboration and fostering mutual growth. Chaired by Djama Ibrahim Darar, Managing Director of PDSA/DMP, the ceremony saw the presence of Feng Boming, Executive Vice President of China Merchants Group, and other prominent individuals.
The MOU signifies a strong alliance, combining the expertise and resources of two major players in the maritime industry. Under this agreement, the two organizations will work closely together to optimize equipment maintenance practices at DMP, which is the largest and most modern multipurpose port facility in the region.
“This collaboration is expected to ensure efficient and reliable operations, leading to increased productivity, reduced downtime, and an overall improvement in the quality of port services,” stated DMP in its official statement sent to Capital.
The staff of the technical division of DMP will go to China for an experience sharing program.
The Doraleh Multipurpose Port, inaugurated in May 2017, was specifically designed to alleviate congestion at the former port of Doraleh. In less than a year, waiting times for goods discharge were reduced from weeks to mere days. The DMP has the capacity to accommodate vessels with up to 100,000 DWT and boasts state-of-the-art facilities, making it one of the most advanced ports in Africa.
The port features various terminals, including bulk, break, container, and RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off), and its impressive quay line stretches 1,200 meters, accommodating six berths with a depth of 15.3 meters. With a direct connection to the Djibouti-Addis Ababa railway, the port maintains an average performance of 90 units discharged per hour (RoRo) and 31 containers per hour (crane lifting).
The total investment in the Doraleh Multipurpose Port amounted to USD 590 million. There are plans for further expansion, with the goal of reaching 4,130 meters of quay line and a total of 17 berths. These developments will further enhance the port’s capacity and contribute to the growth and efficiency of maritime trade in the region.
The partnership between DMP and China Merchants Port (South China) General Bulk Management Center through the signing of the MOU sets a positive trajectory for the future. By focusing on equipment maintenance and operational optimization, the collaboration aims to unlock the full potential of the port, benefitting both local and international stakeholders. As the port continues to evolve and expand, it will play a crucial role in facilitating trade and economic growth in Djibouti and the wider region.

Commercial Bank of Ethiopia rolls out a new CBE NUR savings account called Lebeyk Mudarabah.
During a ceremony held on Wednesday June 21, 2023 the bank also officially launched the 3rd round of ‘Hajj for All movement’.
Speaking at the event, vice president of the bank, Nuri Hussein stated that the bank has been providing various banking services to fulfill the needs of the Muslim community following the Sheria principle. As the vice indicated, the bank is currently providing interest free banking service within its 1915 branches and with its 147 fully interest free service branches.

As stated, the new service, Lebeyk Mudarabah is an account where Hajji and Umrah travelers can save up to cover their expenses.
As indicated on the event, on the occasion of the 10 year anniversary of the bank’s interest free service campaign held for the last two month, the bank has gained 3.5 billion birr in deposit and 80,000 new customers.
As data shows, the bank currently has 6 million customers and has more than 90 billion birr in deposit in the CBE Noor interest free service.