ADDIS ABABA– The number of domestic airstrips and airports linking cities and towns is growing while the airport expansion enabled farmers to leverage cargo services, Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA) announced.
ECAA’s Public Relations and Communications Director EndaleAsefa said that the increase indirect flights to and from regional cities have eased the transportation of agricultural products.
“The number of operational Airports in regional cities and towns has now reached 23. More airports and airstrips are being constructed. Also, some further projects are designed,” he said.
He also expressed that the country would upgrade the under constructed airstrips to airport level through time so that their economic significance will be improved.
“Because of transportation challenges, large number of farmers are not benefiting from their products as they deserve. The expansion of airports and airstrips is becoming a living solution,” Endale stated.
While expanding airports, the authority is now investing on airstrips construction, he said, noting that the airstrips can be immediate solution to reach countryside.
According the Director, private companies are also allowed to construct private airstrips. Direct flights from and to regional airports and airstrips is also permissible. Previously, transit to Addis Ababa had been obligatory, he recalled.
Kenya has almost 200 airstrips and they are beneficiary of having many airstrips and the government of Ethiopia is also expanding airstrips considering these potential benefits,he mentioned.
BY YESUF ENDRIS
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 10 DECEMBER 2024
