Ethiopia, DR Congo sign air transport agreement

Addis Ababa, May 8, 2024 (FBC) – Today, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo have officially signed an aviation sector cooperation agreement, as confirmed by the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority.

Note that a senior aviation delegation from the DRC, headed by Mr. Musengezi Kitasa, the aeronautical advisor to the country’s Minister of Transport and Communications, has been in Addis Ababa since Tuesday, the 7th of May 2024, engaging in discussions regarding sector collaboration and formalizing the agreement.

The agreement is expected to facilitate Ethiopian Airlines in enhancing the efficiency of its air transport services, expanding its range of flight destinations, and notably commencing additional flights to the city of Kisangani within the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Presently, Ethiopian Airlines operates 21 weekly flights to Kinshasa, 14 to Lubumbashi, and 7 flights to Kisangani, Goma, and other airports.

The agreement was signed by Mr. Getachew Mengste, the Director General of the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority, and Mr. Musengezi Kitasa, the head of the DRC delegation.

Following the agreement, Mr. Getachew Mengste expressed that Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo share a longstanding diplomatic relationship and are known for their support of Pan-Africanism and liberation movements across the African continent.

According to the Director General, the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority has concluded 25 new and renewed bilateral air transport agreements with different nations within the past ten months alone. In total, the authority has entered into air transport agreements with 112 countries. Consequently, this expansion has elevated the number of flight destinations served by Ethiopian Airlines worldwide to 135.