Etihad Cargo has expanded its pharma sector reach into Africa with the signing of a Service Legal Agreement (SLA) with Astral Aviation and Kenya Airways to provide reliable and cost-effective airfreight solutions across the continent.
Operating a fleet of 14 freighters out of its Nairobi and Johannesburg hub, Astral Aviation services a network of 15 African destinations, which Etihad Cargo will leverage for increased vaccine distribution across Africa.
Martin Drew, senior vice president sales and cargo, Etihad Aviation Group, said in addition to significantly expanding Etihad Cargo’s reach across Africa, this inter-airline agreement ensured complete adherence to the specific requirements of pharmaceutical product transportation.
“The equitable access and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines in Africa will be enhanced with the help of partnerships and collaborations within the aviation sector, such as the one enacted between Etihad Cargo and Astral, which will offer a one-stop solution for the vaccines to and within Africa,” said Sanjeev Gadhia, CEO of Astral Aviation.
Peter Musola, head of cargo commercial at Kenya Airways, said that with only 2.5% of the African continent vaccinated against Covid-19, this would go a long way toward achieving the goal of the Africa Centre for Disease Control and prevention (CDC) to vaccinate 60% of the population by the end of 2022. “This is a fundamental need and prerequisite toward aviation recovery in Africa,” Musola said.
Since the pandemic, Etihad Cargo has carried almost 2 500 tonnes of pharmaceuticals to Africa, including 41 dedicated flights on behalf of the UAE government.
