Astral Aviation and Emirates SkyCargo to boost trade to and from Africa
February 22, 2025
Emirates SkyCargo has agreed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Astral Aviation to explore opportunities to boost global trade to and from the African continent.
The partnership will see the cargo division of Emirates leverage Astral Aviation’s position as one of Africa’s leading cargo airlines. Operating out of hubs in Nairobi and Johannesburg, as well as Liege and Dubai, Astral serves an extensive intra-African network of 50 destinations. This will be complemented by Emirates SkyCargo’s global network of over 145 destinations with the collaboration underscoring the growing prominence of Africa as a competitive player in world trade.
A boost for African businesses
The two airlines will work closely on a number of initiatives, including expanded cargo interline options and block space agreements, to enhance connectivity and boost the reach of African businesses.
Badr Abbas, Emirates SkyCargo’s divisional senior vice president underlined the huge growth potential in Africa, which “is home to 11 of the 20 fastest-growing economies.”
He added that given the breadth of Emirates’ network, its widebody fleet and specialist product portfolio, the airline is well placed to support businesses reach new suppliers and customers in every corner of the globe. “This partnership with Astral Aviation solidifies our longstanding commitment to the market, creating mutually beneficial economic opportunities to keep goods flowing quickly, reliably and efficiently.”
UAE’s strategic role in driving Africa’s growth and connectivity
The collaboration also underpins the UAE’s role as the fourth largest global investor in Africa. Most recently, the UAE and Kenya signed a landmark Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to accelerate trade and investment in agriculture, infrastructure, healthcare, travel and tourism, financial services and renewable energy. This agreement between Emirates SkyCargo and Astral Aviation will enable further growth, by improving trade flows and generating new opportunities. It is also aligned with the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to increase Africa’s exports to the rest of the world by 32% by 2035.
Sanjeev Gadhia, CEO of Astral Aviation, remarked that the agreement with Emirates SkyCargo “marks a pivotal step in our, over 15 years, commercial partnership and reflects our shared vision to elevate air cargo solutions to, from and within Africa.”
It will, he added, enable the two companies to “unlock new opportunities, driving innovation and strengthening global trade connectivity.”
