Maldives and Ethiopia Sign Bilateral Air Services Agreement to Boost Aviation Connectivity and Tourism

Photo: Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation

Malé, Maldives — The Governments of the Republic of Maldives and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia have signed a landmark Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), paving the way for enhanced air connectivity, expanded tourism, increased trade and closer aviation cooperation between the two countries.

The agreement was signed at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation by Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen on behalf of the Government of Maldives and Director General of the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority, Yohannes Abera, representing the Government of Ethiopia.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister Ameen described the agreement as a significant step in the Maldives’ strategy to strengthen global aviation connectivity and diversify its international air transport network. He noted that Ethiopia is the sixth African country to conclude a Bilateral Air Services Agreement with the Maldives and welcomed Ethiopian Airlines’ interest in launching scheduled passenger services between Addis Ababa and Malé.

Liberal Air Services Agreement with Unlimited Capacity and Frequencies

The Bilateral Air Services Agreement establishes a liberal aviation framework designed to provide airlines from both countries with greater commercial flexibility. Under the agreement, designated airlines will enjoy unlimited capacity and unrestricted frequencies, allowing operators to determine service levels based on market demand without bilateral capacity limitations.

The agreement also provides for Fifth Freedom Traffic Rights, granting designated airlines additional operational flexibility through agreed intermediate and beyond points. Under the agreement, Ethiopian carriers are permitted to exercise fifth freedom rights through the following destinations:

● Colombo, Sri Lanka

● Singapore

● Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

● Bangkok, Thailand

● Jakarta, Indonesia

● Perth, Australia

● Sydney, Australia

● Auckland, New Zealand

● Christchurch, New Zealand

● Wellington, New Zealand

These rights enable Ethiopian carriers to operate services between Ethiopia and the Maldives while carrying passengers, cargo and mail onward to the specified destinations, subject to applicable regulatory approvals. The arrangement strengthens connectivity between Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania, while providing Ethiopian Airlines with greater network flexibility.

Ethiopian Airlines’ Global Network to Strengthen Maldives Connectivity

The agreement is expected to significantly enhance the Maldives’ international connectivity through Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest airline and one of the world’s fastest-growing network carriers.

Operating from its hub in Addis Ababa, Ethiopian Airlines serves more than 140 international destinations across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas. The airline’s extensive African route network is expected to provide the Maldives with improved access to emerging tourism and business markets across the continent while offering travellers from Africa seamless one-stop connections to the Maldives.

The agreement also supports the Maldives’ broader aviation strategy by introducing Addis Ababa as an additional international gateway. Historically, much of the country’s long-haul connectivity has relied on transit hubs in the Middle East. Expanding connectivity through East Africa diversifies the Maldives’ international route network, enhances aviation resilience and reduces dependence on traditional transit hubs, creating greater flexibility for passengers and airlines alike.

New Opportunities for Maldivian

The Bilateral Air Services Agreement also creates new strategic opportunities for Maldivian, the national airline of the Maldives.

The agreement provides Maldivian with a liberal operating framework to consider future scheduled services to Ethiopia as market demand develops, supported by unrestricted capacity and frequency entitlements. While the corresponding intermediate and beyond points available to Maldivian under the agreement have not been publicly disclosed, the BASA establishes the regulatory foundation for future network expansion as bilateral implementation progresses.

The agreement also opens the door for enhanced commercial cooperation between Maldivian and Ethiopian Airlines through interline, codeshare and other partnership arrangements. Such cooperation could significantly expand Maldivian’s global network by providing seamless access to Ethiopian Airlines’ extensive destinations across Africa and beyond via Addis Ababa, without requiring the airline to operate to every destination directly.

In addition, stronger cargo connectivity through Ethiopian Airlines’ well-established freight network could facilitate increased trade and improve the movement of high-value and time-sensitive goods between the Maldives, Africa and international markets.

Strengthening Maldives’ Position as an International Aviation Hub

The Maldives-Ethiopia Bilateral Air Services Agreement reflects the shared commitment of both governments to promoting modern, liberal and commercially driven international aviation. By strengthening air connectivity between the Indian Ocean and Africa, the agreement is expected to support tourism growth, facilitate trade and investment, expand business travel and foster stronger people-to-people ties.

As the Maldives continues to expand its network of bilateral aviation partnerships, agreements such as this reinforce the country’s position as a globally connected tourism destination and an emerging aviation hub in the Indian Ocean, while supporting long-term economic growth through improved international air connectivity.