Qatar Airways is extending its footprint in Africa with an investment in a southern African airline, according to CEO Badr Al-Meer.
Speaking at the Qatar Economic Forum he described the region as the “last piece of the equation” for the Qatari carrier’s operations on the continent.
While it remains unclear which airline Al-Meer’s company has interest in, he said an announcement could come within a matter of weeks.
“We are in the final stage of an equity investment in an airline in the southern part of Africa,” he confirmed.
Qatar’s recent moves have focused on central Africa, with a deal for 49% of RwandAir also in its final stages, and a new route to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo announced in April.
Qatar Airways chief commercial officer, Thierry Antinori, described the expansion to the capital of the DRC has one of several “significant milestones” in 2024 towards its African goal.
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“We have seen significant milestones in our 2024 network expansion and this latest addition is particularly special, as it continues our strategic goal of increasing our footprint in Africa.”
“The inclusion of Kinshasa in our network is the latest manifestation of our efforts to improve connectivity to Africa. Qatar Airways has showcased its commitment to the region by providing passengers in Africa with greater choice to explore different corners of the world through our network and our hub in Doha, Hamad International Airport,” he said.
These investments are part of what CEO Al-Meer described as a “new era” for the flag carrier in March, just five months after he took the reigns at the airline.
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