USTDA Provides Training Grant to Ethiopian Airlines

(USTDA) ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – This week, during President Obama’s trip to Ethiopia, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency concluded a training grant with Ethiopian Airlines to enhance the skills and capabilities of the Airlines’ leadership and staff. USTDA’s grant will fund a multi-year leadership development training program for over 400 Ethiopian Airlines staff, with courses in the U.S. and Ethiopia. It will also support the development of customized curricula to help ensure the sustainability of the program for future generations of aviation leaders in Ethiopia.

The goal of the training is to enhance the skills and capacity of Ethiopian Airlines and its staff in support of Vision 2025, the airline’s long-term business plan to become the leading aviation group in Africa. Ethiopian Airlines aims to provide safe, market-driven and customer-focused passenger and cargo transport, aviation training, maintenance, repair and overhaul services, and ground services by 2025.

The training is being provided, as part of a whole-of-U.S.-government advocacy campaign, in support of The Boeing Company’s (Chicago, Ill.) provision of up to 45 737 MAX airplanes. The purchase of these planes is a major step forward in ensuring that Ethiopian Airlines is able to expand their business and increase regional connectivity. This will ultimately facilitate the movement of people and goods across Africa, lowering the costs of doing business throughout the continent.

The grant signing ceremony, which took place at the Ethiopian Airlines Training Center, was attended by a delegation of Congressional Members who are joining President Obama on his visit to East Africa.