from ADANE BIKILA in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Ethiopia Bureau
ADDIS ABABA, (CAJ News) – THE competitiveness of cross border e-commerce services within Africa and the Middle East is set to improve following a partnership that will use Addis Ababa as a hub.
Ethiopian Airlines Group has partnered with MailAmericas (MA), a private postal operator and gold member of the committee for the Universal Postal Union, for the initiative.
Addis Ababa is the Ethiopian capital city.
According to this partnership, Ethiopian Airlines will offer air transport service for carrying goods across its wide network.
MA will provide its market expertise and the knowhow it gained in Latin America and Africa, where it has networks in over 40 countries.
Mesfin Tasew Bekele, Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer, welcomed the partnership with MA in launching ecommerce logistics services across Africa and Latin America.
“So far, we have jointly served more than 20 countries in Africa and Latin America, and we are keen to further expand our reach going forward,” Taswe said.
The partnership enables the airline to serve customers better by leveraging the expertise, bilateral agreements and private networks of MA.
MA is one of the largest service providers of cross border e-commerce into Latin America.
“We are thrilled to partner up with Ethiopian Airlines Group and expand our horizon into Africa’s territory,” said Tomas Miguens, President of MA.
MA’s subsidiary, Mailafrica has provided services over 25 years.
The partnership is anticipated to grant customers a better shopping experience, improving delivery time and traceability of their packages.
Ethiopian Airlines will gain access to all bilateral agreements and private networks of MailAmericas, enabling it to offer competitive services to customers in Africa, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, and other parts of the world.
The airline is building an ecommerce hub in Addis Ababa, with a total annual capacity of 150 000 tons per annum.
The e-commerce hub will also be equipped with an Automated Sortation System and Electronic Transport Vehicles.
Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics Services has recorded an annual cargo uplift of about 770 000 tons in the 2020/2021 fiscal year.
It serves more than 130 international destinations including 66 dedicated cargo destinations in Africa, Middle East, Asia, Europe and the Americas, with belly hold capacity and 14 dedicated freighters.
– CAJ News