South Sudan, Ethiopian Revive Airline Partnership Talks
South Sudan and Ethiopia are renewing discussions on a strategic aviation partnership that could see Ethiopian Airlines play a leading role in building South Sudan’s aviation sector. The talks were revived during a meeting in Juba on August 27 between South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and Ethiopian Finance Minister Ahmed Shide Mohammed, who also serves as a special envoy.
A statement from Kiir’s office confirmed that air transport was high on the agenda, with Ethiopian Airlines proposed as a strategic partner to expand services and strengthen regional connectivity. The talks also covered wider cooperation on trade, transport corridors linking South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Djibouti, as well as joint projects in infrastructure, telecommunications, and banking.
Ethiopian Airlines and South Sudan signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2023 to establish and manage a new national airline. Under that agreement, Ethiopian would provide technical expertise, training, and management support, including oversight of South Sudan’s transitioning airspace.
Previous efforts to launch a South Sudanese flag carrier date back to 2014, when Ethiopian’s then-CEO Tewolde Gebremariam outlined plans for a joint venture, with Ethiopian holding 49% and the government 51%. Although feasibility studies were commissioned in 2019, the project stalled.
Reviving the initiative aligns with Ethiopian Airlines’ broader strategy of creating joint-venture carriers across Africa. Currently, Ethiopian operates at least two daily flights between Addis Ababa and Juba, making it the largest hub carrier serving South Sudan. Kenya Airways, Turkish Airlines, and EgyptAir operate less frequent services to the capital.
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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com