Algeria and Ethiopia will translate a very good political relationship to a very interesting economic tie that will benefit the two countries, Ambassador Mohammed Lamine Laabas told ENA.
Algeria’s Ambassador Laabas said during the commencement of a direct flight of Air Algérie to the Ethiopian capital on Friday that the flight is a concrete move to maximize economic benefit between the two countries.
Since last year, the leaders and higher government officials of the two countries have been discussing direct air transport connectivity to bolster the bilateral relations.
Accordingly, Air Algerie made its first direct inaugural flight from Algiers-Houari Boumédiène to the capital Addis Ababa.
Ambassador Laabas stated that Algeria and Ethiopia will translate the decades-long very good political relationship into a very interesting economic tie that will mutually benefit the two countries.
“We’ve been having very good political relations for many years. Now, opening this line, we will translate the very good political relations into a very interesting and benefitting economic, cultural, and commercial relations.”
According to him, the lack of direct flight between Algeria and Ethiopia was a missing point to improve the overall relations of the countries.
Even the Ethiopian Airlines, which flies to over 63 destinations in Africa using Addis Ababa as a hub, has gaps to connect North African and Sub-Sahran Africa countries.
“We’re going to benefit from the experience of the Ethiopian Airlines,” Ambassador Laabas stated, adding that “this line is the first-ever opening to the Maghreb region. (And) we are delighted that our country has taken the decision to be the first Maghreb country to link with Ethiopia. That is very important. It was the only missing part of the network of Ethiopian Airlines.”
He elaborated that the lack of direct air connectivity had negative impact on the Maghreb and Eastern Africa regions.
“This is what was missing — this possibility to consolidate, to increase the commercial, economic relations while we are having very good political relation. Algeria has its goods, and Ethiopia has its goods. Now, we can exchange our goods directly without going through Europe, without going through the Middle East which used to increase the price of the cargo.”
The direct air connectivity is also expected to positively impact the overall bilateral relations between Ethiopia and Algeria, according to the ambassador.
“This will impact the other technical relations with the two countries. When you join directly the capitals, that will bring wealth for the two countries and companies. We are just bridging. Now you will see industries and companies find solution for their own problems. Now you will see companies do business in both directions,” Ambassador Laabas elaborated.
Ethiopian leaders have visited Algeria and discussed with Algerian higher-officials last year and air connectivity was an issue.
Establishing diplomatic relations in the 1960s, Ethiopia and Algeria have been enjoying strong political and diplomatic relations.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency