Ethiopian Airlines announced on Wednesday it plans to resume flights to destinations in the conflict-ridden Tigray region in northern Ethiopia.
Speaking to state media outlet Ethiopian News Agency, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Mesfin Tassew explained that his company is preparing to start regular flights to destinations in Tigray that had been suspended for over a year.
Tassew said the Mekelle and Shire Airports in the Tigray region are in good condition to be able to accommodate the resumption of flights.
However, he said another airport in the northern Tigray region, Axum airport which sustained conflict-related damages will need to undergo revamping before Ethiopia’s national flag carrier can resume flights.
The recent peace agreement between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) will allow the resumption of regular flights as well as facilitate humanitarian aid reach, the Ethiopian Airlines CEO said.
Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous nation in Africa, has been devastated by conflict between government-allied troops and forces loyal to the TPLF since November 2020. Thousands have lost their lives or displaced and are in urgent need of humanitarian intervention. Earlier this month, the Ethiopian government and the TPLF formally agreed to the cessation of hostilities after a two-year-old conflict.