Cooperation among African airlines has for several years, been advocated by stakeholders in Africa’s air transport industry. The interest in such collaboration is informed by its economic benefits to the countries and regions involved. Such benefits include free movement of persons and goods across borders had enhancement of  free trade and economic integration.

The recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Ethiopian Airlines and ASKY on strategic partnership and investment marks an important move for a historic intra-African cooperation in airline business. The agreement signed at Ethiopian Airlines Headquarters in Addis Ababa by Mr. Girma Wake, Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines and Mr. Gervais Koffi Djondo, Chairman of ASKY Board, covers the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two carriers in the areas of marketing, operations, maintenance, training, financing and management contracts.

The signing of the MoU was witnessed by Mr Christian Folly-Kossi, Secretary General of African Airlines Association (AFRAA), who participated in the negotiations as a facilitator. Under the agreement, Ethiopian Airlines will own 20% stake in  ASKY which is a start-up multinational private airline launched in the first quarter of 2008. ASKY projects in a statement, that the MoU “will enable the new regional airline start up its flights by the end of this year as per detailed planning.”

“The MoU will pave the way for the two carriers to develop a West African hub for the regional and intercontinental routes. The West African region is one of the highest growing economies in the world due to the prevailing high commodity prices” posits Mr. Girma Wake who further explains that Ethiopian Airlines has been engaged in the process of identifying a hub in West Africa in order to serve the region better and connect it to the rest of the world. The ASKY/ET partnership when fully implemented, is expected to improve speed, efficiency and convenience for air travellers while meeting the objectives of ASKY’s emergence which is the satisfaction of growing market demands for safe, reliable and competitive air transportation services in Central and West Africa.  ASKY was formed to fill the vacuum created by the demise of some airlines in ECOWAS and UEMOA community. The airline is expected to through its operations, facilitate improvement of air transport infrastructure linking member states while reinforcing market competition. It’s equity ownership includes the ECOBANK Group, the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development, the West African Development Bank  and various economic operators.


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