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ADDIS ABABA, Jan.1 (Xinhua) – Ethiopian Airlines-DHL and African Electronic Trade Group (AeTrade Group) today announced their partnership to transport historic packages under a new intra-African agreement.
“The association is intended to invoke the start of trade in the African Continental Free Trade Area market and the operations of the African Electronic Commerce Platform on the continent,” according to a joint statement issued on New Year’s Day by the partners involved.
The African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA), which was launched in March 2018 in Rwanda’s capital Kigali, came into effect on Friday. So far it has brought together 54 signatories members of the African Union, except Eritrea.
The first batch of goods from the two groups arrived at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport on the day in a ceremony attended by high-level representatives from the public and private sectors, the African Union (AU) Commission, Dalsey Hillblom Lynn (DHL) and Ethiopia. flag carrier Ethiopian Airlines.
In July 2018, Ethiopian Airlines Group and DHL Global signed an agreement to form an Ethiopia-based logistics joint venture to do business across the continent of Africa as well as around the world.
“Working in partnership with the African Union (AU) Commission and the African business community with a vision of enhancing intra and inter-African trade, the African Electronic Commerce Group ships fragile trophies to various African countries as the AfCFTA begins.” the statement said.
The smooth and reliable connection between source and final destination is made possible by the partnership between Ethiopian Airlines and AeTrade Group, he noted.
The new partnership joins the existing partnership between Ethiopian Airlines and DHL that has strengthened the multimodal logistics systems established by the Ethiopian flag carrier at its hub in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital.
So far, the fragile goods have passed through the Kingdom of Eswatini, South Africa and Ethiopia, which have signed and ratified the AfCFTA Agreement, according to Ethiopian Airlines.
“The link between an integrated African market, the free movement of people and Africa’s single air market cannot be underestimated, as it serves as a catalyst to open up immense opportunities in Africa for the benefit of Africans and all stakeholders,” he said Tewolde Gebremariam, Group Executive Director of Ethiopian Airlines.
Gebremariam also praised the AU leaders “for their strategic focus on legal instruments that will make it easier for Africans to travel the continent peacefully and do business with each other.”
“I believe that the partnership with the African Electronic Trade Group and DHL is crucial, as Ethiopia is a key player in the transportation of cargo and passengers in Africa. As we fight the COVID-19 pandemic, we must work to boost intra-African trade. to pave the way for a brighter future, “he said.
The partnership marked the start of trade under the recently effective agreement and the operation of the African Electronic Commerce Platform called “Sokokuu”, which means big market, central market and unity in the Kiswahili language.
Items produced in Eswatini and transported to various destinations across the continent symbolize Africa’s willingness to exchange goods originating from this market from the first day of operations.
The African continent began trading on Friday under the AfCFTA Agreement.
The agreement offers new hope and continental joy in terms of boosting intra-African trade and ultimately facilitating Africa’s development and industrialization.
The African free trade agreement has the potential to boost intra-African trade by more than 52 percent by 2022, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. Final product
