Ethiopian to Resume Flight to Athens after 18 Years

Oct 26 , 2019


[ssba-buttons]

Ethiopian Airlines, the national air carrier, announced the resumption of its flights to Athens, Greece, effective December 13, 2019, after 18 years. Athens marks Ethiopian's 20th destination in Europe. The ultra-modern B787 Dreamliner will operate the thrice-weekly flight to Athens. "With our direct flight, Greece will be closer to Africa than ever before and to the rest of our global network," said Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines. The resumption of the service to Athens will help meet the exponential demand from global tourists, as well as provide them with more connectivity options within Ethiopia's extensive global network, the airline stated. Ethiopian Airlines' profit increased by 19pc to 232 million dollars in the 2017/18 fiscal year, and the airline transported 340,000tn through its cargo services. Ethiopian Airlines has more than 100 international destinations, 19 domestic routes and 39 freighters.


Radar

Amendment Expands Access for Foreign Traders

Foreign participation in Ethiopia's wholesale, retail, import, and export trade sectors has come under renewed focus as the Ethiopian Investment Board(EIB) approved a significant amendment to Directive No. 1001/2016  in its meeting on May 23, 2025. The amendment, proposed by the Ethiopian Investment Commission(EIC), focuses on refining the legal framework governing foreign investment in these sectors. The decision is part of a broader strategy to enhance the country's appeal as an investment...


Radar

NBE Sets Four Percent Ceiling on Foreign Exchange Fees

The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) issued a new foreign exchange market directive on May 20, 2025, that caps commercial banks' forex service fees at a maximum of four percent. Banks are instructed to adapt competitive, transparent, and streamlined pricing for all forex-related services. Effective May 26, 2025, total charges for purchasing foreign exchange whether for imports, service payments, or cash note purchases must not exceed the newly set limit. The directive also prohibits banks f...


Radar

SantimPay Launches Zero-fee Digital Remittance Platform

SantimPay has rolled out FrankRemit, first fully integrated, zero-fee digital remittance platform, in partnership with Bank of Abyssinia(BOA). The service smoothly connects all commercial banks and major mobile money providers, including Telebirr, M-Pesa, and CBE Birr which is a first of its kind in the country. FrankRemit is expected to revolutionise how the Ethiopian diaspora sends money home. Developed locally and tested over the past two weeks with successful transfers from multiple count...