The government of Ethiopia will grant Somaliland an undisclosed stake in state-owned flag carrier Ethiopian Airlines (ET, Addis Ababa International) as part of a groundbreaking agreement between the two authorities, comprising sea access for Ethiopia and enhanced diplomatic relations. However, the Ethiopian communique only mentions "bolstering political and diplomatic relations" and does not explicitly mention diplomatic recognition of Somaliland as a sovereign state. Addis Ababa had previously courted Asmara with a similar proposal as that pitched to Somaliland - equity in Ethiopian Airlines in return for access to Eritrea's Red Sea port of Massawa. The ch-aviation capacities module shows that Ethiopian Airlines is the largest operator at the airport, with a 45.9% weekly market share by scheduled capacity. The announced deal will be the first time a foreign government has gained a stake in Ethiopian Airlines, a carrier which is more renowned for taking shareholdings in other African start-up airlines, including ASKY Airlines, Ethiopian Mozambique Airlines, Malawi Airlines, Nigeria Air, Zambia Airways, and Air Congo.

Source: Ethiopian News January 03, 2024 17:40 UTC