A statement issued by Mrs Aniley Eshetu, Assistant Manager, Corporate Communications, Ethiopian Airlines, said the Government of Zambia would be the majority shareholder with 55 per cent and Ethiopian will have 45 per cent stakes in the airline.

Mr Tewolde Gebremariam, Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines said: “In line with our Vision 2025 multiple hubs strategy in Africa, we are very happy that the discussions with the Zambian government has been crowned with success.”

He said the launching of Zambia Airways would enable the travelling public in Zambia and the Southern African region to enjoy greater connectivity options, thereby, facilitating the flow of investment, trade and tourism, contributing to the socioeconomic growth of the country and the region. 

He said as an indigenous and truly Pan-African airline, “we firmly believe that it is only through partnerships among African carriers that the aviation industry of the continent will be able to get its fair share of the African market, currently heavily skewed in favour of non-African airlines, and play its rightful role in availing efficient air connectivity within Africa as well as with the rest of the world”.

He said the airline was meant to initially serve national and regional destinations before embarking on international flights.   The establishment of multiple hubs in Africa, being an overarching strategy of Ethiopian, under its Vision 2025, the national flag carrier currently operates hubs in Lomé (Togo) with ASKY Airlines and Malawian in Lilongwe (Malawi).