7 Inspirational Quotes from Great Female African Leaders

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  7 Inspirational Quotes from Great Female African Leaders

  CULTURE & LIFE

• Seven great women across the African continent have inspired change through activism, writing, and advocacy for sustainable development in the region.

• Over the years, great women have claimed rightful places in leadership in their own ways. These women have continued to spur development in different fields. They have set the bar higher for women across the continent and the globe at large.

  Here are seven quotes by prominent African women whose work underlines Africa’s progress, its success, challenges, and the continent’s zeal to continue moving forward.

  “If you followed the media you’d think that everybody in Africa was starving to death, and that’s not the case; so it’s important to engage with the other Africa.”

  Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian author whose books give a different perspective of what Africa is and what it can be. She has written books like ‘Purple Hibiscus’, ‘Half of A Yellow Sun’, ‘Americanah’ and ‘The thing around your neck’, a collection of short stories.

  “It is no country’s destiny to be poor.”

  Luisa Diogo, the first female Prime Minister of Mozambique, was at the forefront to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS and advocated for increased healthcare access in her country. Moreover, she also is a strong supporter and promoter of gender equality and sits on the Council of Women World Leaders to promote political participation of women.

  “If someone hasn’t felt how it feels to eat last, to work more and to earn less, how do you expect them to support you?”

  Solome Nakaweesi Kimbugwe is a Ugandan feminist and activist within the human rights, women’s, civil society movements and the development sector. She has worked in various capacities including consultant in areas concerning women’s rights, gender and sexual diversity, progressive social movements, transformational leadership, democracy, governance, and entrepreneurship.

  “It’s the little things citizens do. That’s what will make the difference.”

  Wangari Maathai is a Kenyan activist. She was the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. As an elected member of Parliament and former assistant Minister for Environment and Natural Resources, Maathai pursued her political passions such as environmental and gender justice. She created the Green Belt Movement which still continues to propagate her environment ideologies.

  “The one thing I have never been afraid of is standing before important people and speaking my mind. I represent women who may never have the opportunity to go to the UN or meet with a president. I’m never afraid to speak truth to power.”

  Liberia’s Leymah Gbowee received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011 for her contribution in putting to an end  the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003 through a women’s peace movement.
  Gbowee shared the prize with fellow Liberian, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and Yemen-native Tawakkol Karman. Gbowee and Sirleaf became the second and third African women to win the prize, preceded by the late Wangari Maathai of Kenya. Through the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa, Leymah advocates and provides educational and leadership opportunities to girls, women, and youth in West Africa.

  “Solidarity between women can be a powerful force of change, and can influence future development in ways favourable not only to women but also to men.”

  Nawal El-Saadawi is an internationally renowned Egyptian writer, novelist, medical doctor and fighter for women’s rights. Her writing has influenced five generations of women and men in Egypt, in other Arab speaking countries as well as in many other societies. Her writing inspired dissidence, rebellion and revolution.

  “We Africans have to be able to deal with our problems. Help from outside is alright, but we have to learn to be responsible for our own attitudes.”

  Hailing from Benin, Angelique Kidjo is a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and activist. She is well known for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos. In 2002, Angelique Kidjo was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador by UNICEF. In this position, she has used her voice and her influence to reach people worldwide to discuss some of the major issues affecting the people of Africa, the spread of HIV, poverty and hunger, and conflict and war. Her organization, the Batonga Foundation, helps to fund and support education for young girls in Africa. 
  
  

  Image Credit: The Inner Writer

Why Ghana Is Banning Skin Bleaching Products from Its Market

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  Why Ghana Is Banning Skin Bleaching Products from Its Market

  CULTURE & LIFE

• In a bid to promote public health, Ghana will from August this year ban skin-whitening products that have a bleaching agent hydroquinone, which is said to cause skin cancer, liver and kidney failures too.

• Ghana has resolved to ban the use of skin lightening products which contain a bleaching agent hydroquinone including creams, body lotions, bath gels, and soaps.

  The decision by the country’s Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) is part of a directive from the state’s Standard Authority in an effort to deter users of the cancer-causing chemical in the market.

  Data from research indicates that unregulated products have higher quantities of hydroquinone and mercury than those recommended by dermatologists. Apart from increasing the risk of skin cancer due to the inhibition of the melanin synthesis (which protects the skin against ultraviolet radiation) by hydroquinone, using such products could also lead to liver and kidney failure. It also is known to cause hyperpigmentation, which is the formation of dark skin patches on the area where the product is applied.

  But come August 2016, the government wants this to be a thing of the past, following the new guideline.

  “Concerning skin lightening products, we are saying that from August 2016, all products containing hydroquinone will not be allowed into the country. From 2016 the acceptance of skin lightening products is going to be zero,” FDA spokesperson James Lartey told Starr News’s Lambert Atsivor in an interview.

  Lightening products can also lead to hypertension and diabetes, according to Elidje Ekra, a dermatologist at the Treichville University Hospital in Abidjan.

  Many African women and a few men too believe being white-skinned translates to beauty and as such, they do everything possible to look lighter so as to get more recognition and possibly success.

  These products have been popular in the European Union, Japan, Australia and the United States, but due to hydroquinone which may act as a carcinogen or cancer-causing chemical, they were banned in these markets, a couple of years ago.

  Last year, Ivory Coast banned the sale of the dangerous whitening products, with an aim of promoting physical public health among its citizens. Many months down the line, the outlawed bleaching products remain on shop shelves and in salons, and the practice does not seem to dwindle.

  According to the World Health Organization, Nigeria remains Africa’s largest cosmetic market with 77 percent of women reportedly using the products to whiten their skin. Togo, South Africa, and Mali followed with 59, 35 and 25 percent respectively. Despite stringent measures, a third of South Africans still use the illegal creams.

  What can be done?

  One of the reasons why many women and men are resorting to the skin-whitening products is peer pressure. Moreover, advertisements on television and billboards are full of light-skinned men and women further compelling young people to do the same.
  Celebrities are also blamed for endorsing skin-lightening products, thus taking a larger following into their fold.
  Take for example a recent declaration by Bukom Banku, Ghanaian professional boxer, that he had been bleaching so as to gain a national assignment as Ghana’s ambassador to Germany. The former dark-skinned boxer is now white although he has speckles of dark skin around his kneecaps and elbows.

  

  This is how Banku looks like in his before and after photos. Image credit: www.canadahealth.xyz

  And he is not the only one.
  In 2011, Mshoza, real name Nomasonto Mnisi, a South African Kwaito artist declared that she wanted to look like Michael Jackson, and with that, started the long journey to whiten her skin. In her argument, Mshoza said she was tired of being ugly (black) and wanted to be more attractive by being white.
  There is a need to bring women and men with dark skins on board to encourage young girls and boys that being black is beautiful.
  Lupita Nyong’o, Alek Wek are some of the world celebrities that are black and proud. Although Lupita admitted to feelings of unattractiveness when she was growing up, she learned to love herself and her body. She is an example of what confidence in one’s skin can do. Unlike Banku who believes being white will give him the position he desires; Lupita Nyong’o is an ambassador already, in spite of her skin color.
  African men especially need to appreciate their women, daughters and sisters the way they are without pointing out skin color as a definition of beauty. Women on the other hand and a couple of men too should love themselves the way they are without the madness of yellow-bones.
  The issue of color is not skin deep. It is mental and emotional deep. There is a need to address the situation from that point of view and not just focusing on the physical problems only.
  
  
  Image credit: www.233today.com

Padded Panties: How Women in Ivory Coast Boost Bottoms

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  Padded Panties: How Women in Ivory Coast Boost Bottoms

  CULTURE & LIFE

• Despite being an item of ridicule in the past, today, many women are rushing to have larger behinds in the name of wealth, health and a means to build self-confidence as well as attract the opposite sex.

• In Ivory Coast, a woman’s beauty is defined by how big her bottom is. In order to acquire the ‘bootylicious’ bottom, some squirt creams onto their behinds, others pop pills while others adorn padded panties.

  Women who have a ‘botcho’ the Ivorian slang for ‘vast rear end’ are seen as wealthy and healthy hence, some have to do everything possible to achieve the curvaceous look. For the emerging middle class in the nation, this has become routine and has contributed to the growth of businesses dealing with such products.

  In a country like Ivory Coast, the skinny catwalk queens are no role model to a community of women whose desire to enhance their bottoms is overtaken by the risks that come with growth enhancer pills and creams.

  "You need to have good hips to be dubbed a beauty in Ivory Coast," said a saleswoman named Sarah. "Men like women with a bit of bottom best."

  A report from Agence France said that infused Press, pills, creams, and broth- infused suppositories, are big business in the country. At Treichville, Abidjan's biggest market, shop owners do a steady trade in ‘grossifesse’ (butt boosters).

  The side effects of the pursuit are also so real as the pills are made from corticoids, which can cause high blood pressure and diabetes, Fatima Ly, a venereologist in Dakar told the news agency. 

  There are creams made with shea butter or cod-liver oil and don’t have the same health risks. However, they are expensive for a country where the average person makes only a little over $100 a month. According to sellers, despite the cream enhancers going for between 15,000 to 25,000 CFA francs ($25 to $45), the products do not last long on the shelves. Women on lower budgets prefer ingesting broth cubes because they are greasy in hope that it will enhance their rears.

  

  The safer and cheaper option is using padded pants to give an illusion of a larger bottom according to local reports. Despite its safety, it has its own set of problems. Nigerian men are not so happy with the pads which are sold in stores and sometimes by hawkers in the street. Men have expressed their disgust and feelings of being misled by their women who adorn the cloth.

  One Nigerian man, Adelani Makinde filed for divorce just hours after his expensive wedding, after discovering that his bride’s bottom was not as ‘big and round’ as it had appeared during their courtship. On the grounds of false pretense, Makinde promptly filed for divorce.

  For women who have a financial footing, they opt for booty-boosting surgeries abroad or get plastic surgeons flying in to perform the ‘booty miracle’. Parisian plastic surgeon Robin Mookherjee is one doctor who flies to Dakar every month and claims to have treated "hundreds of women patients" from west Africa, notably from Ivory Coast.

  History shows that black women with larger breasts, hips, thighs and bottoms have been items of ridicule, hyper-sexuality, and denigration. But since the legendary butts of Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, and Kim Kardashian, it has become an essential part of beauty coveted by many women from different races, who would do anything in their power to have such booties.

  Image credit: Getty Images/Sia Kambou)

Four Traits of Successful Female Leaders

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  What Makes Great Female Leaders?

  ENTREPRENEURSHIP

• The following traits form part of the character of a woman leader. If you don’t already have them, learn to adopt them
• Successful women across the world possess great traits that keep them at the helm of their different leadership positions.
  These traits are common but once adopted and exploited at a higher level, they nudge individuals to be more resilient in their effort to achieve success in their endeavors.
  The following traits form part of the character of a woman leader. If you don’t already have them, learn to adopt them.

  Know what to say when, where and how

  Communication is a key element when it comes to leadership. Once information is relayed, it cannot be retrieved and one can only live with the consequences. There is a reason why it is said “think before you speak”.
  The what, who, when, where, why and how of a message should be evaluated well in order to communicate effectively with the target audience.
  Generally, these elements will determine the reception of the message passed across and how people will react to it. Different audiences require different approaches. Learn which communication approach works for what audience.
  “Crucial Conversation”, a book by Kerry Patterson gives a clear indication of how to use communication to attain that promotion, appeal to a target audience or sell that business idea or a marketing strategy to the Board. In summary, the book identifies ‘tools for talking about sensitive (crucial) topics’.

  Source for feedback from open friends and colleagues

  Great leaders often source for feedback. The importance of feedback is to hail an individual's positive attributes and point out areas that need improvement.
  Leaders who shy away from asking for feedback are less likely to grow. As a woman leader, one needs to source for feedback from people who will not sugarcoat anything.
  Sometimes feedback can be sourced while at times it can be read from the body language and facial expression of the people one is in communication with. Whichever way, appreciate and learn from it.
  “The upside of painful knowledge is so much greater than the downside of blissful ignorance,” reads part of Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In. Sheryl highlights the plight of women leaders in organizations and how to push up the career (leadership) ladder.

  Empower other people to their fullest potential

  A good leader is one who empowers other people to exploit their potential to the fullest. As a woman leader, seek to build other people who are above or below your authority.
  When you lead an empowered lot, achieving individual and collective goals becomes easily attainable.
  Empowerment can also come in form of helping the less fortunate in the community. “The hand that giveth, receiveth,” this is commonly known.
  The power of giving cannot be underestimated as the reciprocal is immense.

  Cultivate the power of self-belief and shun Self-doubt

  Books, films, documentaries and Ted talks have been produced to encourage people to think positively about themselves. All these great publications are geared towards empowering oneself to rise above their own limitations and pursue their goals with boldness.
  Women tend to dwell in self-pity and self-negative judgement which more often than not kill the drive to push forward.
  To become a great influence, a woman leader should embrace a positive attitude towards self.
  One's beliefs not only shapes an individual’s behavior but also influences those around them, affects one’s health as well as helps a person’s ability to cope with distress.
  These are just but a few traits that can influence women leaders to better themselves in the different leadership capacities

Aliko Dangote Re-acquires and Rebrands Tiger Brand Consumer Goods to Dangote Flour Mills

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  Dangote Rebrands Tiger Brand to Dangote Flour Mills

  BUSINESS6

• Every business will need to rebrand at some point. This could be as a result of changes happening within and around the business including customers, partnerships or to revive an enterprise.
• There are many reasons why a business must rebrand, the major one being the fact that the enterprise has to adapt or die.
  Barely four years after Dangote Flour Mills was acquired by a South African company, Africa’s richest man has acquired the company back. Mid last year, the company which operated under the brand- Dangote Flour Mills was renamed to Tiger Brand Consumer Goods. Early this week, the company has gone back to using its former name Dangote Flour Mills after South Africa’s Tiger Brands sold its 65.7 percent stake in Flour Mills back to Dangote at $1 per share in December 2015.

  Why so many changes?

  Following a transaction deal between the two companies, Dangote sold off 63.35 percent shareholding in Dangote Flour Mills Plc to Tiger Brands in September 2012. The agreement allowed Dangote to retain a 10 percent interest in the company for a minimum period of five years, and he continued to hold the position of Chairman of Dangote Flour Mills.
  Since the acquisition by Tiger Brands, the company has experienced massive losses amounting to $40.5 million in the first year and $34.3 million in 2014. Last year, Peter Matlare, CEO of Tiger Brands acknowledged that his company had failed in the assessment of doing business in Nigeria. The business was also affected by massive competition in the country.
  So why did it take Tiger Brands more than two years to rebrand and less than six months for Dangote to rename the company back to its original name?
  The answer lies in the reasons for rebranding. The world is constantly changing, and businesses need to keep their brand current and relevant. Sometimes making big, and drastic changes is necessary. If not well implemented and at the right time, it can result in bad business.
  Here are four major reasons why businesses rebrand:

  Mergers and Acquisition

  This is one is obvious. When two Brands decide to come together, the result is a major branding overhaul. This, however, requires a deep analysis to identify any differences or similarities and decide on the best way forward. For some mergers, a new brand will be required to identify the new union and show customers what it can offer. For others, though, the initial name remains. Whichever the case, the brand should be able to address the needs of the company and that of its customers or clients.

  Message and strategy

  When a business changes its message or strategy, it is advisable that it rebrands. Change of strategy may be brought about by a shift in the marketing campaign in order to be better understood by its customers. It could also mean that a business owner has decided to add new items in the product line.

  The Audience/customers/clients

  Sometimes a name can be changed to suit the needs of the audience. As the audience continue to change in the modern world, some businesses realize that they need to adapt to new ways and possibly a new name in order to succeed. This is majorly experienced in startups when they finally get a niche and transform into a more stable business. Although companies maintain their own brands, customers control it through word of mouth which becomes a reputation for the brand.
  As customers change, so should the brand. While change is inevitable at this time, customers expect the business to remain relevant and modern to keep them attracted, and to grab the attention of new customers.

  Stale/dormant business

  Sometimes business stagnation can be revived through some rebranding. This could mean a change of name or color whichever that would work best for the enterprise. Every business experiences staleness at some point in life. Rebranding can help rejuvenate a brand that looks dull, tired and outdated, giving it a new fresh look appreciated by old and new customers.
  
  

  Image Credit: Ventures Africa

Not Investing in Africa? Here Are 6 Reasons Why You Should

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  Not Investing in Africa? Here Are 6 Reasons Why You Should

  MARKETS

• Now is the best time to invest in Africa. There are development opportunities ranging from road, rail, airports and an increasing middle class population that is in need of quality goods and services.

• Africa is on the move, and most international businesses are not aware of the continent’s investment opportunities. Although in the past there have been gaps, there has been a sea change and some investors who were patient enough have reaped from their hard work.

  Africa is formalizing its economy in a bid to attract more investors, both local and foreign. The continent also boasts a growing young population, with urbanization expected to drive over 50% of Africans to cities by 2050.

  One major caution while investing in the fastest growing economy is that the region will test an investor's patience. That is not to say that investors should hold back. On the contrary, economists believe it’s time for investors to channel their money into Africa due to a number of factors that are falling into place including the increasing middle-class population.

  Tarek Sultan Al Essa, Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairman, Board of Agility, Kuwait expounds on six reasons why investors should consider investing in Africa, in an article which is part of World Economic Forum’s Africa series dubbed ‘Agenda in Focus: Africa’.

  Africa needs ‘connectors’

  Africa lacks adequate roads, rails, ports, airports, power grids and IT backbone which are key to lifting African economies. The insufficient infrastructure hinders the robust growth of imports, exports, and regional business.
  Power connectivity in Africa leaves business captive to back-up and alternatives power supply which sometimes is more expensive than electricity itself. While there is a massiveinvestment by nations to expand African ports and airports, much of Africa’s growth potential depends on in-country and intra-African road, rail and air connections. Inadequate roads and rail network have caused Africa major losses with up to 50 percent of African fruit and vegetables getting spoilt before reaching markets.
  There’s a soft infrastructure deficit, as well. Outside of South Africa, the data and information critical to decision-making by businesses are missing or hard to obtain – credit and risk information, market data, consumption patterns, you name it. Lessons from Dubai and Singapore tell us that once an infrastructure race is on in a rapidly expanding market, being the first-mover is a significant advantage for investors.

  African trade barriers are falling and intra-African trade holds enormous potential

  While some major trading blocs are on the verge of disintegration such as the European Union, Africa’s trading blocs are increasingly strengthening.
  If duties are lowered and incentives introduced, the 54-nation Continental Free Trade Area could provide a great opportunity for manufacturers. This will make setting up businesses in multiple African countries easy. That could lead to the development of electronics, machinery, chemicals, textile production and processed foods.
  Africa’s share of global trade stands at a meager 3 percent. To increase on this, the continent’s commodity and consumption-led economies must begin to produce a broad array of goods for home markets and export.
  And an increase in local beneficiation in the commodities sector could be a driver of growth – processing local commodities (such as minerals, coffee, cotton) in a country rather than exporting them in raw form. But to make this a reality, the region must boostits power and infrastructure to compete as a global manufacturer.

  Customers are changing

  The Africa’s middle class is fast-growing. The modern middle class is educated, brand-aware, professional and sophisticated in terms of their consumption.
  Retailers and consumer brands want to anticipate and drive buying preferences in fashion, home, and lifestyle products, but they know they need international standard supply chains if they are to meet demand. The largest economic forces in Africa are small to medium enterprises, working to meet this new demand and competing with global brands.

  Digital transformation

  When it comes to mobile adoption, Africa leads the world. What’s more, the adoption of mobile payment which was pioneered in Kenya opened the wired global economy to poor, unbanked city and rural dwellers.
  Companies such as Novartis are using mobile communications to manage their supply chain; Olam has used mobile to reach out to new African suppliers and farmers. These mobile initiatives have achieved huge successes.
  Mobile is the area where Africa has pushed beyond the boundaries in the developed world, and African tech incubators are pushing to innovate. And there is more to come.

  Africa is diversifying

  More than ever, African economies are beginning to diversify beyond commodities, although this is still in the early stages.
  Africa is witnessing a returning diaspora that recognizes the potential and opportunities in their own countries. This population supports local economic growth with their skills and talent, by acting as “first movers”, investing back in their communities.
  At the same time, African countries are beginning to place bets on non-commodity areas where they can be competitive. And they are packaging themselves to appeal to a broader set of investors. Recognizing they can no longer count on growing investment from China, every country now has what are called “Investment Promotion Agencies”, which act as one-stop shops for investors, assisting with registration, taxes, and other steps in establishing companies locally.

  Africa can lead in sustainable development

  Africa has the potential for sustainable development by exploiting existing opportunities in energy, technology, supply chain design and other areas. It can also go ahead and embrace new technology and ideas, with no historical imprint from which to break free
  It can develop flexible fuel grids that generate power with a mix of abundant wind, solar, hydro and bioenergy, alongside conventional fuels such as oil and gas, which are also abundant. Nowhere on Earth is there as much unused or poorly used arable land. Thus, venturing into agriculture can be a major breakthrough leading to productivity gains in food production in Africa.
  Business leaders are hungry for vibrant new markets and consumers know the reality: globalization means there are too few remaining frontiers. As the developed world matures, and becomes increasingly difficult to trade in as a result of factors from legislation to terrorism, opportunities for corporate growth are limited. There are too few places where entrepreneurs and businesses with ideas and an appetite for risk can bring value and find long-term growth if they are persistent, creative and determined. But there’s something else they know: Africa is still such a place.
  Tarek Sultan Al Essa is a co-chair at the ongoing World Economic Forum on Africa 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda.
  
  
  Image credit: Reuters

Home World Politics Tech Entrepreneurship Business Markets Culture & Life Blogs About Us Not Again: Rwanda Abandons Kenya for Tanzania Rail Link

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  Not Again: Rwanda Abandons Kenya for Tanzania Rail Link

  MARKETS

• The Rwandan government has opted to pursue Tanzania rail route saying it’s cheaper and will be completed much faster than the Kenyan one.

• Once again, Kenya has been hit hard after Rwanda announced that it is choosing the Tanzania route over the Kenyan one citing that the rail link to Indian Ocean ports through the former is cheaper and will be shorter.

  Rwandan finance and economic planning minister Claver Gatete said his country would develop its rail through Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi, putting the Kenya-Uganda-Rwanda coalition of the willing relationship (CoW) at stake.

  In March, Uganda dropped the bombshell that it was opting out of the crude oil pipeline deal with Kenya, settling to work with Tanzania instead. Even though Kenya tried to salvage the situation, Uganda-Tanzania pact sailed through with Uganda arguing that the Kenyan route was not only expensive but also insecure.

  Aimed at bringing about development in the region through infrastructure, telecommunication, defense, and tourism promotion projects in East Africa’s Northern Corridor, Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Paul Kagame (Rwanda) and Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni entered into the CoW agreement in 2013.

  The Northern corridor was planned such that it would give the landlocked Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan access to the sea through Kenya’s Port of Mombasa.

  But that deal has been watered down by the latest announcement by the Rwandan government. The standard gauge railway was estimated to cost $13 billion.

  Now Kenya and Uganda have been left alone in the pursuance of the rail construction project which might prove difficult especially because the 2013 CoW isolated Burundi and Tanzania.

  According to studies by East African Community affairs ministry, the Tanzanian option would cost Rwanda between $800 million and $900 million while Rwanda would part with $1 billion in the Kenyan route.

  “We opted for the route transiting to Tanzania during the construction of our railway line because the Kenyan route would be expensive and time-consuming,” said Gatete as quoted by Xinhua news agency.

  Rwanda’s decision was expected, according to Kenya Railway Corporation Managing Director Athanas Maina. The EAC railway master plan gives the country an option to interconnect from either Mombasa or Dar es Salaam, he argued.

  Rwanda has said it will continue using the port of Mombasa as it has always done. “Our trade goes through Dar es Salaam and Mombasa … We will need both of them.”

  In a June meeting, Rwanda questioned the haste in which Uganda was pushing for the extension of the rail to Juba at the expense of Kigali, even though at the time, South Sudan was yet to become an EAC member. The slow connection to Kigali and cost considerations might have fueled the need to look the other way.

  There is a possibility that Kenya could still gain economically from the railway despite Rwanda’s withdrawal. South Sudan and Uganda which have the bulk of cargo passing through the port are great opportunities for Kenya.

  Statistics from Mombasa port indicate that Uganda has the largest volume of transit cargo averaged 77 percent of gross transit volumes, followed by South Sudan (11.5 percent) and Rwanda at 3.9 percent.

  Rwanda’s decision has to be discussed at the 14th Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIP) summit next month, to make the plan official.

  
  

  Image Credit: Salaton Njau/Nation Media Group

Africa's Best Airlines, 2016

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  Africa's Best Airlines, 2016

  BUSINESS

• Kenya Airways was voted Africa’s Leading Airline 2016 at the World Travel Awards.
• Kenya Airways was voted Africa’s Leading Airline 2016 at the World Travel Awards. It effectively unseated South African Airways which was also nominated in the same category together with Tunisair, Royal Air Maroc and Egypt Air. Kenya Airways also won the Africa’s Leading Airline- Business Class 2016 Award which it has won since 2013. The company’s audacious claim to be “The pride of Africa” seems to be a cheque well honored as it has asserted its dominance in the African skies. South African Airways had taken home the award for 22 years running but the reign has come to an end. Ethiopian Airlines was named best airline in Economy class while fastjet was awarded Leading Low-Cost Airline.
  Speaking on the side-lines of the WTA gala, Kenya Airways Marketing Director Chris Diaz said, “This is sign enough that we are putting the dark clouds behind us to cruise unimpeded as Africa’s most respected airline.” He went on to say, “It is not the size that has made us soar again, but our distinct class and quality in aircraft, trained staff, excellent cuisine, new lounges and unequalled warmth.”
  Just last year, Kenya Airways was embroiled in tumultuous waters but now it has escaped in style asserting dominance over Africa. Kenya Airways is the flag carrier of Kenya and was founded in 1977 following the dissolution of East African Airways. The company’s largest shareholder is the Kenyan government with 29,8% worth of stakes in the company. It is listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange, the Uganda Securities Exchange and the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange. The airline is based at Jomo Kenyatta Airport.

  Other Top Airlines Nominated for the Awards

  Tunisair

  The flag carrier of Tunisia and one of Africa’s finest, the airline was formed in 1948. Its main base is Tunis-Carthage International Airport while its head office is in Tunis, near Tunis Airport. The initial shareholding was 35% for government, Air France with 35% and other interests with 30%. In 1957, the government became the majority shareholder with 51% and Air France’s stake was reduced to 15%. The company is 74% owned by the Tunisian government. The airliner flies to destinations across Africa, Asia and Europe. It became the first Airbus A319 customer in the Middle East and Africa.

  Royal Air Maroc

  The Royal Air Maroc is Morocco’s national carrier and the country’s largest airliner. It is fully owned by the government and has its headquarters on the grounds of Casablanca-Anfa Airport. The airliner has domestic flights as well as international flights to other African countries, Asia, Europe, North and South America. RAM was formed in July 1953 and has grown into a formidable force in the airline business in Africa. Its size is just as astounding as the services it gives with a a workforce of over 2,500 people. As of March 2013, RAM operated an all-Boeing fleet.

  Egypt Air

  EgyptAir is notorious for the Seif al-Din Mustafa fiasco where the man pretended to have a suicide belt on yet he it was a belt full of cellphone covers. This rather unfortunate story is however, not all there is to EgyptAir. It is actually a premium, high level airline which normally does not have Mustafas in it. It has been working to be profitable again after the revolution of 2011. The company was founded in 1931 as Misr Airwork, given exclusive rights to Egypt air transportation. EgyptAir lost around $185 million in the 2012/2013 fiscal year but in the 2011/2012 year, the loss had been as much as double. Cumulative losses are almost at $1 billion since 2011. EgyptAir serves no less than 81 destinations all over the world. It is a part of Star Alliance, the world’s largest global airline alliance together with South African Airways.

  South African Airways

  The South African flag bearer is the most awarded African airline. Its headquarters are in Airways Park on the grounds of OR Tambo (Africa’s best Airport according to the World Travel Awards Africa). It was formed in 1934 and has gone from strength to strength since then. It currently flies to over 35 international destination and won the Leading Airliner Award for 22 years until Kenya Airways hogged the spotlight.
  It was all about Kenya, the toast of the night at the 23rd edition of the World Travel Awards Africa and Indian Ocean gala. The country took home 23 of the 57 awards at the event making it a model for profitable and quality investment in tourism. Kudos to you Kenya.
  
  

  Image Credit: Airways News

Ethiopian Airlines: A Testament of Vivacity in the African Aviation Industry

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  A Testament of Vivacity in the African Aviation Industry

  BUSINESS

• Ethiopian Airlines has shown tremendous growth which earned it the name, The Pride of Africa.
• On April 8, 2016, Ethiopian Airlines Group (Ethiopian) started celebrating its 70 years anniversary amid massive expansion of air transport services. Since its maiden scheduled commercial flight from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to Cairo, Egypt, Ethiopian has shown tremendous growth which earned it the name, The Pride of Africa. Over these years, Ethiopian has managed to maintain its corporate identity of providing excellent air transport service even in the times of economic recessions and political turmoil in Ethiopia and most parts of Africa. At present, Ethiopian Airlines is the prime airline in Africa, and it flies to more destinations than any other carrier on the continent.
  Ethiopian has marked decisive advances in the history of aviation as the first African airline to reach the skies. In recent years, for spectators of airline industry, not a month goes by without hearing praises of Ethiopian’s strides in providing quality services and expansion of routes. In this piece, I try to present the chief achievements of the Airline, delving into the dominant success factors, and the important lessons to be drawn from such a public commercial enterprise to other state owned enterprises and public institutions in Africa.

  A Resilient Airline That Thrives Even Under Tough Times

  It is a widely held fact that registering consistent achievements in commercial aviation is a challenging yet essential component of remaining competitive in today’s global economy. For African airlines, this challenge is only made more difficult given the negative connotations that persist with regard to the aviation industry. But, irrefutably, the legendary Ethiopian Airlines always paints a different picture. Contrary to the perception of Africa’s aviation being bracketed together by inferior standards of aircraft, inadequate airports and aviation facilities, Ethiopian has stood the test of time and remained a pioneering company in the industry with exceptional standards. I agree with those observers who say that the Airlines’ success story stuns many who question Africa’s capability to run modern institutions efficiently.
  While most of the major airlines in the world and particularly those in Africa have endured very tough times in recent years Ethiopian has won a number of industry accolades and seems to go from strength to strengths. For instance, it received the 2011 African Airlines Association (AFRAA) award for being consistently profitable over the years and even won the “African Cargo Airliner of the Year 2011” award for its excellence in air cargo. Moreover, the company’s Aviation Academy was voted as “the 2014 Airline Training Service Provider of the Year” by AFRAA.
  IN 2015, THE PROFIT THE COMPANY GARNERED WAS MORE THAN THAT OF THE COMBINED PROFIT POSTED BY THE REST OF AFRICAN AIRLINE INDUSTRY.In the economic sphere, Ethiopian has been able to generate sustainable long-run business growth, a stride attributed to the interplay of many factors. According to the 58th edition of World Air Transport Statistics, issued by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Ethiopian was the largest African carrier with revenue topping US$2.3 billion in 2013, and that Ethiopian was also a leader in operating profit. In 2015, the profit the company garnered was more than that of the combined profit posted by the rest of African airline industry. Indeed, Ethiopian has moved up a notch in the success ladder as one of the carriers that keeps an enviable balance sheet in an otherwise ‘fuel-price-ravaged’ industry, and makes consistent improvements in service standards. Ethiopian was also chosen as “Worldwide Customer Service Leader” by Service Quality Institute in recognition of its outstanding and cutting-edge customer service. This, however, remains an incremental change in Ethiopian’s overall strategic capability. We can attribute the success of the airline to several factors.

  Building Vibrancy through Fleet System Modernization

  One of the factors that have kept the dynamic gains of the Airlines is the probity of the enterprise in fleet system modernization. In the aviation sphere, it is axiomatic that an airline considering expansion into international markets characteristically cannot pursue that ambition without long-range, wide-body aircrafts. Ethiopian has acquired a fleet of seventy-six aircrafts, of which thirty of them are for long-range passenger services, including thirteen Boeing 787 Dreamliners. In view of fleet modernization and a desired increase in efficiency, the carrier has forty-two additional aircrafts on order including eight Boeing 787s, and fourteen A350-900s from Airbus. In December 2011, the 787 touched down at Bole International Airport, “to kick off the Africa portion of Boeing’s Dream Tour”, with Ethiopian being the first airline in Africa to operate this impressive new machine. More specifically, Boeing 787 Dreamliner is believed to be an environmentally friendly super-efficient airplane; this is perhaps the clearest articulation of Ethiopia’s approach to a climate resilient greener economy.
  In September 2014 alone, Ethiopian agreed to buy 20 redesigned 737 aircraft models valued at US$2.1 billion in the “largest single order for Boeing (BA) Co. planes from African continent.” In essence, acquiring new fleet systems and retrofitting existing capabilities was a key component of the airline’s 15-year strategic Vision 2025 Roadmap to expand its business to carry 18 million passengers a year. This goes for Ethiopian’s aspiration to possess as many as superior and efficient aircrafts.IN SEPTEMBER 2014 ALONE, ETHIOPIAN MADE THE “LARGEST SINGLE ORDER FOR BOEING (BA) CO. PLANES FROM AFRICAN CONTINENT.”
  A flurry of changes in markets may require an airline to reconfigure its fleet. As a result, the Ethiopian’s older generation fleets are being retired, to give placing room for injection of state-of-the-art aircrafts into the veins of carrier, to enable Ethiopian to operate one of the youngest and greenest fleet in Africa. It is expected that placing new aircraft orders, in the current uncertain economic conditions could have involved robust economic forecasting and strategic thinking, as aircraft purchase takes time, and this is conceivably the most intricate part of the planning process in the aviation sphere. By doing so, Ethiopian is asserting a strategic regional role that is in line with the burgeoning weight the company carries in the aviation industry.
  Even in the last global economic slowdown the secret behind Ethiopian’s cost-effective expansion was simple – it was driven by encouraging gains in efficiency. Ethiopian has surely matured on the global stage during its long operation, and has moved up the value-added chain.

  A Pan Africanist Airline Dedicated to Continental Integration

  When tracing the history of the Airline’s progress, it is clear that today’s remarkable results were the result of longstanding and continuous developments. Ethiopian has echoed the Pan African call that Africa must unite in order to realize its renaissance. Since its founding in 1945, Ethiopian has been flying to more destinations in Africa than any other airline, and it has moved to broaden its foothold on the continent and further connected Africa to the rest of the world, by steadily realizing its inspiring maxims of “Bringing Africa Together,” “Africa’s Link to the World”, “Connecting Africa to the Rest of the World”, and “The New Spirit of Africa”. In early 1960s, Ethiopian was the official presidential airline for most African heads of state. Indeed, Ethiopian served as a facilitative dynamo for the convening of the May Addis Ababa Conference of African Heads of State in 1963, which resulted in the creation of the Organization of African Unity now the African Union (OAU/AU).
  Another reason for its success is the fact that Ethiopian is truly committed towards Africa’s integration. This commitment to inter-connect Africa has been congruently aligned with the long-term commitment of successive Ethiopian governments to the ideals of Pan Africanism, and it can be argued that such dedications of the governments are no just political hot air but they have made a business sense in the long term. If memory serves me, I once heard, in 2008, the then Managing Director of the Ugandan Civil Aviation Authority saying gratefully that, “Ethiopian was the only airline that has never stopped flying to Uganda even while the country was in a dreadful adversity of war”. I believe this remark conforms to a larger pattern signifying Ethiopian as a truly pan-African carrier. Indeed, it takes an audacious level of determination to wing away trepidation in hard times.
  ETHIOPIAN HAS LONG BEEN DISPELLING THE NEGATIVE MYTHS ASSOCIATED WITH AFRICA, AND ITS SUCCESS FACTORS HERALD THE NARRATIVE OF AFRICA RISINGIn addition, Ethiopian has long been dispelling the negative myths associated with Africa, and its success factors herald the narrative of Africa rising. I also believe that, given the proven capability of Ethiopian, the Airline can notably contribute towards the realization of the African aspiration of having a top-notch integrative network that criss-crosses the continent, as it is rightly stated in the African Union’s Agenda 2063. In this collective vision and roadmap for deeper and greater integration of the continent, the leaders of the continent agreed that African Passport would be introduced with the abolishment of visa requirements for all African citizens in all African countries by 2018, we can imagine that free mobility of people, capital and goods will generate greater demands for the Airline’s services.

  Forging Strategic Global and Regional Alliances

  In December 2011, this pan-Africanist airline and corporate citizen of Ethiopia became the 28th member of Star Alliance and the third to join in Africa after South African Airways and Egyptair. This decisive move would provide worldwide reach via the extensive Star Alliance network, offering seamless travel options and giving recognition to frequent flyer programs (FFP) among other benefits. This would further assist customers to get fair price, increased air traffic volumes and frequency of services. Per the Star Alliance’s regulations, all airlines must comply with the highest industry standards of customer service, security and technical infrastructure. This has also been a quantum boost to the existing good safety records Ethiopian had already taken great pride in this regard. Within the network of alliances, Ethiopian has been able to offer better “flight option for its passengers, quick transfers and convenient check-in procedures.”ETHIOPIAN OFFERS BETTER “FLIGHT OPTION FOR ITS PASSENGERS, QUICK TRANSFERS AND CONVENIENT CHECK-IN PROCEDURES.”
  What wave of cascading forces brought Ethiopian to membership in the Alliance? It was the culmination of the hard work and determination necessary in order to prove its capacity to join such a prestigious alliance, all the while continuing to provide customers a consistent level of excellence. But what are the measured benefits that the membership brings about? As per the analysis of aviation experts, these unwavering accomplishments in turn reward Ethiopian with more market access as member airlines fly to more than 1,300 destinations, with easy travel and quicker connections. It also opens up access to more than 21,000 daily flights in 200 countries. Moreover, the Alliance increases the traffic volume and subsequently, revenue to Ethiopian.
  Viewed from the prism of aviation economics, the industry is often affected by towering influences of economic uncertainties and instabilities. It is cyclical in nature, which makes it vulnerable to the vices of the international economy. Thus, it is formidably difficult for a solitary airline to survive such perfect storms in a weak global economy. This fact has therefore driven carriers to form alliances so that they can bring returns and share high fixed costs of major investments, especially given the advanced and costly technologies of the aviation industry. Most aviation economists believe that the creation of alliances enables airlines to build global networks at reasonably little extra cost, attaining economies of scale through resource pooling across operational areas. This is the cost minimization advantage that oils the airline’s wheels. Undoubtedly, this also ensures continuous improvements in service standards and fosters a sense of pride for the country whose flag Ethiopian carries.
  For Ethiopian which has perpetuated its reputation for “turning profits for almost all the years of its existence”, there is also an added advantage that could be gained to counter any problems of limited capacity and falling yields due to unpredictable circumstances. This will help to retain current markets managed through seat capacity and shared operations. Apart from this, joining strategic alliance enables Ethiopian to overcome some restrictive barriers to enter international markets. It is widely believed that alliances have taken a strategic departure from customary partnership methods towards the creation of global networks and a common strategy.

  Flying High through Managing Customer Expectations

  The bedrock from which all these ongoing achievements are launched is the philosophy of synchronizing leadership and staff commitment, strategic vision, cost management, and customer satisfaction,. This being the case, however, it cannot be said that the challenges are not many: for instance, Ethiopian is facing stiff competition from non-African airlines within Africa. Although it can be understood as an opportunity to promote more growth, it is still not an easy task. This is because of the delicate nature and cut-throat competition of aviation industry. In other words, to navigate through such stiff competition and while afloat is tough to say the least. On the other hand, it is also a great indicator of Ethiopian’s success and its ability to be more innovative and continuously employ the winning formula: managing customer expectations.
  ETHIOPIAN HAS INVESTED IN MANY CUSTOMER SERVICE INITIATIVESIt is a widely held fact that customer service management emanates from discipline, investment and deeper understanding of customers. Ethiopian has invested in many customer service initiatives, and has thus benefited from a constant increase in aeronautical revenue through rise in customer loyalty and retention. However, a lot remains to be done in this sphere. I believe that synergy should be further enhanced among stakeholders to improve airports ability to exceed the ever evolving customers’ expectations. There is no doubt that excellent airport facilities and services, such as courtesy and helpfulness of airport staff, give passengers an enjoyable and ennobling airport experience. It is therefore incumbent upon the relevant airport authorities to equip the staff with professional knowledge of services and make them behave kindly and courteously to win customer trust and confidence.

  An Epicenter of Aviation Academic Excellence in Africa

  Ethiopian has been lauded for its actions to promote growth. Its success is partly due to its constant production and deployment of a disciplined, well-trained and patriotic workforce, ensuring the reliability of services and improvement of efficiency. Ethiopian is virtually self-sufficient in all aviation training systems. The Ethiopian Aviation Academy (EAA) offers training for pilots, aircraft technicians, cabin crew, marketing, management and finance, giving the best workforce a stronger grounding in the skills necessary to be a part of a leading professional aviation force. The airline was forced to create its own academy since there are no other institutions that can supply it with trained human resource. So, it has changed this challenge into an opportunity.THE ETHIOPIAN AVIATION ACADEMY OFFERS TRAINING FOR PILOTS, AIRCRAFT TECHNICIANS, CABIN CREW, MARKETING, MANAGEMENT AND FINANCE PERSONNEL
  Just as Ethiopian has worked tirelessly to increase the prestige of the Aviation Academy, and consequently, clear of the perimeter, it has also provided basic aviation maintenance training to trainees from many other African countries. Rooted in the African spirit, the training is also leavened by a healthy dose of advanced aircraft maintenance base. In recognition to its application of international standard, EAA has so far been certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and IATA Safety Audit (IOSA). As part of this robust strategy, Ethiopian signed the On-point Solution Agreement with GE Aviation for maintenance, repair and overhaul of its GE90 engines. This is certainly a recipe for a guaranteed success.
  In 2015 alone, about 750 students from Ethiopia and other parts of Africa were able to graduate from the Academy in different aviation skills, and it is a clear indication that the Academy is fast maturing into continental respectability and is walking the walks towards becoming one of the seven profit axes of the company. Even more impressive, EAA aims to expand its acceptance capacity of 4,000 trainees yearly, and this will be ancillary revenue generating wing and an important income stream.
  It is also cheering to know that Ethiopian has sparked aviation vocations within the female population in Africa in its bid to improve gender balance in the industry, when it underwent its first-ever flight operated by an all-female crew in November 2015.

  Surviving the Storms with Prudent Cost Management

  Some view that aviation industry as an economic bellwether; hence, it manifests that the health of aviation industry serves as a barometer for wider economic conditions. Recently, most airlines are enjoying relatively higher operating margins due to cost reduction led by the decline of oil prices and skilled airline management. There is no question that aviation fuel accounts for a major portion of operating costs. Some few years back, to the dismay of many airlines across the world, political instabilities that had prevailed in oil-producing countries played a big role in the rise of fuel prices, and did so for costs to the aviation industry.
  Ethiopian pursues the policy of managing fuel price volatility risk using various hedging strategies and instruments based on careful examination of the trends. It has also been introducing fuel-efficient aircrafts. For Ethiopian to be a guaranteed frontrunner in the industry in the years to come, there are also other strategies that must be adopted to minimize fuel costs. One example is venturing into a joint domestic production of sustainable and advanced-generation bio-fuels or their utilization, as they are affordable and environmentally friendly. This serves the purpose of saving from rampaging, volatile and potentially rising fossil fuel prices that represent the lion’s share of airlines’ costs for national carriers of oil importing countries. I presume that this sounds much more germane to an airline whose country is not an oil producing one. Besides, the joint jet fuel purchase scheme devised by African Airlines Association (AFRAA) (of which Ethiopian is a part), Ethiopian is a kind of strategic move that can help to collectively lower fuel costs. For those who are disposed to take an optimistic view, efforts for scientific break-through to create electrically powered commercial aircrafts, may ultimately relieve Ethiopian from fuel predicament in the long-run and help crack the carbon code.
  THE FACT THAT LABOR IN ETHIOPIA IS INEXPENSIVE, COMBINED WITH HAVING QUALIFIED WORKFORCE TRAINED BY ITS OWN, ETHIOPIAN IS GRANTED A TITANIC COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE COMPARED WITH OTHER AIRLINES, AFRICAN AND OTHERS.The fact that labor in Ethiopia is inexpensive, combined with having qualified workforce trained by its own, Ethiopian is granted a titanic competitive advantage compared with other airlines, African and others.

  An Airline Contributing to National and Regional Economy

  The contribution of airline industry to economic development is enormous. There can be no iota of doubt that Ethiopian is the much needed hard currency generating machine to its country. As we reflect on an ideal network dispensation of economic advantages other than these airfare receipts, we can also realize that better transport links expand market opportunities. This further allows greater scope for economies of scale, increased specialization in areas of comparative advantage, and stiffer competitive pressures on companies, encouraging them to become more efficient. It is evident that air transport facilitates world trade and, this in turn means aviation supports foreign direct investment, which is often accompanied by improved technology. Given the growing international economic importance of Ethiopia in the global business communities, the Airline has consistently provided seamless movement of business people into and out of the country. Moreover, based on correct reading of global economic trends, the airline has shifted its business focus on linking Africa with global growth hot-spots like China and India. Borrowing the words of one commentator, airlines are the “physical Internet”, connecting people, products and the world driving the global economy and creating millions of jobs.BASED ON CORRECT READING OF GLOBAL ECONOMIC TRENDS, THE AIRLINE HAS SHIFTED ITS BUSINESS FOCUS ON LINKING AFRICA WITH GLOBAL GROWTH HOT-SPOTS LIKE CHINA AND INDIA.
  There is no doubt that greater transport links speed up African economic integration to the rest of the world and expand its market. Aviation can allow effective networking and collaboration over longer distances and improve the profitability of investment in other sectors as well. In Ethiopia, for instance, building of freight capacity by acquiring more freighter aircrafts has helped the floriculture sector, which increasingly depends on just-in-time deliveries of this perishable export commodity to Europe and other destinations. To meet this growing need, Ethiopian put in place perishable cargo cold storage facility to serve the growing exports of perishable items. Industries that produce low-volume-high-value commodities such as pharmaceuticals rely on air transport for delivery of time sensitive supplies. This in turn means aviation supports foreign direct investment both into and out of Africa. That is why many countries promote aviation as the lifeblood of their economies.
  Yet, in a world in which employment generation is becoming a main concern, those activities that are directly or indirectly dependent on transporting people and goods by air, including airline and airport operations, are of paramount importance. Let us relate this prospect with Ethiopian tourism sector. Given the recognition Ethiopia has got from the European Council on Tourism and Trade as “Best Destination for Tourists in 2015”, employment in the tourism industry is expected to benefit quite a bit, and this is clearly reliant on the aviation industry as most of foreign visitors arrive by air. By the same token, the aviation industry depends on tourism to generate demand for its products and services. So, it is possible that increased demand for tourism would augment the frequency of air travel. Being cognizant of the need to fundamentally change the magnitude of tourist flow to Ethiopia, Ethiopian has forged a new partnership with the newly-established Ethiopian Tourism Organization (ETO) in marketing Ethiopia as a global tourist destination for mutually reinforcing benefits.

  A Well Managed Public Enterprise that Epitomizes Success

  In my very limited foray into public sector economics, I can say that Ethiopian can provide a practical insight that a well managed public enterprise can be a success, and the public sector can be somehow a viable alternative to wholesale privatization. It is not most common to find a public sector success story in Africa; a business that is fully-owned by its government that is actually blossoming. One fundamental factor for its success is the fact that successive Ethiopian governments have ensured that the management of the airline is autonomous and professional with very limited but effective strategic support and guidance from political leaders.
  One lesson that can be drawn from the success of the airline is that public enterprises can be very successful if and when they are run with visionary and strategic professional leadership and management and where the political leadership provides judicious oversight and strategic support rather than unduly interfering with the day-to-day operation and management of the enterprise. Other African countries can draw an important lesson from this Ethiopian experience. As a matter of fact, the Ethiopian government itself can learn from its success in nurturing, supporting and leading Ethiopian Airlines Group into spectacular success and try to replicate the success with other public enterprises in the country.

  

  In an effort to promote women’s empowerment and encourage more African girls to pursue aviation careers, Ethiopian Airlines dispatched its first- female flight late last year, 2015. The female crew operated the intercontinental flight from Addis Ababa to Bangkok, Thailand.

  
  

  More Ingredients for Scaling New Heights in the Aviation Industry

  In general, Ethiopian’s investment on performance-enhancing activities and its membership to Star Alliance do not only change its connectivity, but they also accelerate changes that have been long underway and illuminate them to a degree that will make continued advancement (that engender high brand loyalty and customer satisfaction) all the time more tenable. When the center of gravity is on aviation infrastructure development, increasing operational efficiency and service improvement, the economic payoff will be large and immediate; and in fact, many will celebrate it.
  Ethiopian’s entry into strategic partnership with smaller African airlines definitely brings market enhancement and scale up of operational efficiency to all. This was demonstrated when Ethiopian partnered with Lome-based ASKY Airlines, in which Ethiopian has a stake and is responsible for aircraft maintenance and operational management. In this highly competitive sector and with economic hardship being a global reality, regional cooperation and alliances would pay off and ensure employment. The Government of Ethiopia also believes in this move and has been fortifying strategic partnership with other countries to create favorable external conditions in the diplomatic arena. Economic reasoning has taken the prominence in state affairs, and modern demands and processes are oriented towards the promotion of domestic business abroad and the attraction of foreign investors. It is therefore incumbent upon the regional players to come to a consensus and seize the opportunities that regional cooperation offers; and unleashing enhanced diplomatic machineries would excellently complement this endeavor.
  For the Airline to attract more customers incessantly, it is essential that long-term and intensive marketing campaigns are unleashed based on the evolving characteristics of passengers and other partners. As Ethiopian builds its public relation apparatus equal to the overwhelming task at hand, it should acknowledge the need for additional robust corps of public relation specialists in the field, to play well in the presence of respected rivals. While that is certainly true, the emphasis on promotion in the making of successful airline should be central to the articulation of Ethiopian’s eminence as well.

  Lessons of Ethiopian Experience

  There is a widespread perception that many public enterprises in Africa have not delivered what was expected from them in economic development. Most of the challenges are related to rising corruption, management inefficiencies, poor performance of staff, and technological shortcomings. All things considered, it can be concluded that Ethiopian Airlines is case of a successful public enterprise. Many African public enterprises therefore can draw important lessons and successfully emulate the success factors that have made Ethiopian a shining star. First and foremost, little change is likely to come about in poorly performing public enterprises unless the recruitment of professional and competent management and well-trained and productive workforce is ensured. In doing so, it is necessary to pay greater attention to the strengthening of capacity building of their workforce and to the creation of a new culture in which competence, efficiency and the public good are dominant.
  Secondly, maintaining firms’ operational autonomy and cordial and cooperative relationship with the government, is important to achieve the goals of the public enterprise. Thirdly, public enterprises should be committed to transform themselves into dynamic entities which are cost-effective in serving their customers through the application of financial discipline with proper cost management mechanisms, enhancing their ability to systematically adapt and change, and focusing on the need to maintain, rehabilitate, and modernize their physical assets. Finally, it is essential to champion commitments to work better by demonstrating creative patterns of collaboration and alliances with other enterprises in order to build networks at reasonably little extra cost, attaining economies of scale through resource pooling across operational areas.
  For Ethiopian Airlines, continued implementation of its Vision 2025 Roadmap and the generation of new workable strategies would enhance its dynamic competitive advantage in the years to come. These will help maintain the current levels of its attainment and conjure up a better image of an efficient African corporate entity which is robustly positioned to continue riding from success to success, with its vitality of cherished tradition. Its predilection for creating sustained distinction is an assertion that keeps “The New Spirit of Africa” thriving more in leading the 21st aviation development in Africa