Ethiopian will Continue to Grow, Win Global Competition: CEO Tewolde

Addis Ababa June 07/2018 Ethiopian Airlines will continue to grow faster and win the competitive stage at the global arena, Ethiopian Group CEO, Tewolde GebreMariam said. In his opening remark of receiving the 100th Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft today, Tewolde said “Ethiopian Airlines is the pride of Ethiopia and Africa.” Managed and operated by Africans, the Ethiopian Airlines is leading and connecting the continent with its major trading partners across the world, he added. Unfortunately some media, especially the mainstream has wrongly portrayed Africa as a place of poverty, deprivation, famine, drought, and civil war, he said, adding that “but today we are working very hard to change this unfortunate stigma of the continent.” Speaking of the new logo ‘The New Spirit of Africa’, the Group CEO said that it is due to the new initiatives and witnessed changes in because economic, governance, as well as management in the last three decades. Ethiopian Airlines since 1960s has been serving vital role of connectivity for most of African countries, he said and noted “ever since, the Ethiopian Airlines has been playing an important role in the socio-economic development of all African countries.” According to him, Ethiopian has created jobs to about 30, 000 directly and indirectly as well as earns about 200 million USD foreign currency per annum. US Ambassador to Ethiopia, Michael Raynor said “it represents Ethiopia’s ability not only to compete, but to thrive, in the world’s most important and challenging economic sector.” Appreciating the successful teamwork and managing staff of the Group in running the airline in the right direction, Ambassador Raynor said “this includes not only the remarkable and rapid expansion of the airline, but the exceedingly rare ability to do so profitably.” Furthermore, he noted “Ethiopian Airliners is showing the world what is possible in Ethiopia that the world-class businesses can develop here, and that Ethiopia provides fertile ground for such businesses to succeed.” He concluded that the success of Ethiopian Airlines is impressive and important not only in its own right but also because of the role it plays in achieving the goals that Ethiopia and the US share. Ethiopian airlines, the leading aviation industry in Africa, have reached to more than 210 international destinations in five continents across the globe.