Written by
Faridah N Kulumba
Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) operator, on Sunday inaugurated its direct flight between Entebbe in Uganda and Sharjah.
The inaugural flight landed at Entebbe International Airport on 10 October 2021, and was welcomed with the traditional water cannon salute and cake cutting amongst others.
According to the General Sales Agent (GSA) Arab air in Uganda Ibrahim Abdisalam, the airline company is set to increase its frequency in the country in order to serve the large demand and market opportunity for Ugandans travelling to and from the United Arab Emirates, by the Daily Monitor.
Flight benefits to Uganda
The minister of state for works in charge of transport, Mr Fred Byamukama noted that the airlines introduction on the aviation sector will boost business for Ugandans ,due to the fact that Ugandans practice agriculture hence producing different products that have market in the UAE but face difficulty in transporting them because of logistics. With the timely introduction of direct flights with the Air Arab airline, Ugandans will have increased business that will benefit even the local Ugandans.
The airline operators will also help achieve Uganda’s objectives of developing an air transport sector that will connect Uganda to all major cities in the world.
Departures and arrivals.
The flights will operate three times weekly using the A320 aircraft and depart on Wednesdays, Friday and Sundays at 9 A.M and land at 1:35, while return from Entebbe will depart at 2:15 P.M and arrive at Sharjah International Airport at 9 pm.
Uganda-UAE relations
The relationship between Uganda and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is strong, strategically invaluable and is developing further. Uganda has signed several agreements with the UAE and others are being negotiated.
The UAE is the most important crossroad country in the Middle East, linking Uganda with the Middle East and the most important hub for transiting to the Americas and Europe, to West Asia-China, Japan to the East.
The UAE’s foreign direct investment in Uganda is at 400 million dollars and on an upward trajectory. In 2019 Uganda enjoyed a positive trade balance with export to the UAE at 1.2 billion dollars against 563 million dollars import, which shows that the trade relations between the two nations is growing so fast.
In 2020, the Middle East’s total imports valued at US$819.4 billion. Uganda contributed exports valued at US$1.9 billion, a o.23 percent market share.
More than 60,000 Ugandans live and work in the UAE, remitting 400 million dollars annually.
