On March 3, 2022, Ethiopian Airlines, Air Djibouti, the Djibouti international free trade zone (DIFTZ), and Société de Gestion du Terminal à Conteneurs de Doraleh (SGTD) signed the Sea-Air Cargo Logistics Model Agreement, which was witnessed by the Ethiopian Embassy’s Deputy head of mission, Ambassador Mohammed Hassen, andthe chairman of the Djibouti port and free zone authority, Mr. Aboubaker Omar Hadi.
The partnership would strengthen regional connectivity by utilizing an innovative multimodal transportation system developed by the Djibouti port and free zone authorities, air Djibouti, and Ethiopian Airlines. The Sea-Air cargo initiative is twice as fast as sea-only transportation and twice as cheap as air-only transportation. This will significantly improve trade links between the two countries as well as between the two continents of Africa and Asia.
Ethiopian Airlines is a key actor in boosting trade, commerce, and investment, which are the engines of the continent’s economic development. The Sea-Air Cargo Agreement, when combined with Djibouti’s competitive geo-strategic advantage, would undoubtedly play a vital role in the transportation of commodities and profit maximization. Furthermore, combining DPFZA’s port operations knowledge with that of the two airlines in a sea-air cargo scheme will help to harmonize policies and accelerate economic integration.
