Ethiopian Airlines is poised to expand its global reach, leveraging Ethiopia’s membership in BRICS and increasing connectivity with Russia, Lemma Yadecha, Chief Commercial Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, told Sputnik Africa.
"As you might geographically understand, Ethiopia is located at the heart of the BRICS, from China to Brazil," he said. "Now, being a member of [the] BRICS [group] will come with the advantage of common understanding in terms of trade, investment, and people-to-people relation."
One key area of expansion is Ethiopian Airlines’ operations in Russia. The airline currently operates five flights a week to Moscow, but has plans for growth.
"Yes, Ethiopian Airlines is a very ambitious airline. We are planning to increase to daily very soon. Hopefully, by coming October, Ethiopian Airlines will fly daily to Moscow," Lemma Yadecha confirmed.
Beyond just connecting Ethiopia to Russia, Ethiopian Airlines plays a crucial role in linking Russia with Africa and other global markets, the CCO underscored.
"Ethiopian Airlines is connecting Russia to the rest of the world, not only Africa, but to Latin America, Europe and beyond. Therefore, we strongly believe that Ethiopian Airlines is contributing to the development of the Russian economy," Lemma Yadecha noted.