Namibia is seeking to draw operational and strategic lessons from Ethiopian Airlines as government advances plans to establish a new national airline, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said on Sunday.
Speaking during an International Women’s Day event at Hosea Kutako International Airport, Nandi-Ndaitwah reaffirmed that the eighth administration remains committed to reintroducing a national carrier following the collapse of Air Namibia in 2021.
The President said Namibia intends to study the operational model and long-term growth strategy of Ethiopian Airlines, which has developed into Africa’s largest airline and a major hub connecting the continent to international markets.
“The eighth administration has promised the Namibian people that we will bring back our national airline. In doing so, we are looking to learn from the experience and success of Ethiopian Airlines,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah noted that aviation plays a key role in supporting trade, tourism and economic cooperation between countries, adding that strong air connectivity is essential for Namibia’s integration into regional and global markets.
She also highlighted existing cooperation between Namibia and Ethiopia in the aviation sector, noting that some Namibian pilots have received training in Ethiopia.
The remarks come as Ethiopian Airlines flight ET835 arrived in Windhoek from Addis Ababa operated by an all-female crew, part of the airline’s celebrations marking 80 years of service.
Beyond aviation, the President used the occasion to highlight Namibia’s progress in advancing women into leadership roles across government, business and professional sectors.
She noted that women currently occupy several senior leadership positions in Namibia, including the presidency, vice presidency, the speakership of the National Assembly and other high-ranking offices.
According to Nandi-Ndaitwah, these developments reflect broader national efforts to promote gender equality and expand opportunities for women in sectors such as aviation, engineering and business.
“Namibia is among the countries that have made significant progress in women’s empowerment. Today we have women serving as President, Vice President, Speaker of the National Assembly, Secretary General of the ruling party and Deputy Chairperson of the National Council, while many others are leaders in business, medicine, engineering and aviation,” she said.
Government has indicated that the planned national airline will be established through a public-private partnership structure, and officials have confirmed that the defunct Air Namibia will not be revived.
Air Namibia was placed into liquidation in February 2021 after years of financial losses, governance challenges and repeated state bailouts. The closure of the national carrier reportedly cost the state about N$8 billion.
Plans to establish a new airline follow commitments made in Swapo’s 2024 election manifesto, which called for the creation of a national carrier under a revised strategy designed to avoid the financial and operational challenges that affected its predecessor.
Cabinet approved the incorporation of the manifesto commitments into government policy, paving the way for the development of a new national airline strategy.
