Direct flights to be launched between Maldives and Ethiopia

The Maldives and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia have officially signed an Air Services Agreement aimed at strengthening aviation cooperation between the two countries.

During a special ceremony held at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed to further enhance collaboration in the aviation sector between the two nations.

Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen signed the agreements on behalf of the Maldivian government, while Yohannes Abera Belete, Director General of the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority, represented the Ethiopian government.

Speaking following the ceremony, Minister Ameen stated that Ethiopia is the sixth African country with which the Maldives has established an air services agreement. The Maldives has previously signed similar agreements with Egypt, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, and South Africa.

The Minister highlighted that the agreement will support the introduction of scheduled direct flights between airlines of the two countries. He noted that Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest airline with an extensive international network, has expressed strong interest in launching direct flights between Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, and the Maldives.

The agreement also creates an opportunity for the national carrier, Maldivian, to commence direct flights to Ethiopia.

Minister Ameen stated that increasing tourist arrivals and expanding the tourism sector to support sustainable economic growth remain key priorities of the government. He described the agreement as an important milestone in developing a global aviation network that strengthens the Maldives’ economic resilience. He added that the achievement supports the President’s policy of building a robust aviation sector capable of reducing the impact of international market fluctuations on the Maldivian economy and the livelihoods of its people.

The Minister further emphasized that the agreement represents a significant step towards achieving the goal of establishing direct flight connections between the Maldives and major global aviation hubs. He added that the arrangement will create new opportunities for the tourism and trade sectors while increasing the economic benefits generated through aviation.

Concluding his remarks, Minister Ameen encouraged stakeholders in the tourism and business sectors to actively explore and maximize the mutual benefits and opportunities created through this new bilateral agreement.