adminThe article intimated the need to apply Pan-Africanism in business and in our everyday lives so that the notion does not remain a mere high sounding slogan.
The founding fathers of the AU were passionate about achieving a united Africa that would occupy its grandstand on the world stage as an economic powerhouse.
Sadly, today Africa is still trapped in a web of negativities that restrict intra-regional trade and the free movement of its own people on the continent, thus impeding the much sought after economic growth and development.
As noted by the AfDB vice president and chief economist Professor Mthuli Ncube at the AfDB annual meeting in Morocco recently, strict visa requirements in African states are inhibiting intra-Africa trade and economic growth.
While there are efforts being made by regional groups and individual African states to drive the pan-African agenda albeit at a snail’s pace, I am intrigued the most by the exploits of the Ethiopian Airlines which clearly has become a phenomenal Pan-African global business success story.
Ethiopian Airlines has over the years built a brand anchored on Pan-Africanism, and today the airline’s widespread presence in Africa and the whole world is a manifest testimony to this remarkable achievement.
Pan-African values are embedded in the airline’s vision, mission, and business operations to provide clear guidelines and inspiration to its staff complement of 6 557 employees, its customers, and all other stakeholders.
The Pan-African story of Ethiopian Airlines has helped it grow very fast to become an airline of choice for both international and regional air travelers.
Pan-Africanism has helped Ethiopian Airlines build a huge presence in the global civil aviation industry with the “Pan-African spirit” being its unmistakable identity.
Ethiopian Airlines offers its passengers world-class air travel service benchmarked by international standards and best practices.
The airline has 72 international destinations spanning four continents, and amongst these 45 are in Africa, making it the most visible African airline on the continent, a feat that speaks volumes about the airline’s intimacy with increasing inter-Africa connectivity.
Its cargo service has 24 destinations and 15 of these are in Africa alone. Ethiopian Airlines is now one of the leading airlines on the continent.
The airline is an authentic pan-African institution, unrivalled for its efficiency and ultra-modern facilities, including the provision of competitive global standard aviation services.
Through its Pan-Africanist approach, the airline has built a unique brand that has become its source of competitive advantage.
It has proven that African businesses have more to gain on the world stage when they infuse their business strategies with salient Pan-African values than when they compete as mere caricatures of western business models.
It is a global multi-award-winning airline, recognised for exceptionally contributing towards the growth and development of the African civil aviation industry.
In June 2013, at the Le Salon du Bourget Air Show, Paris, Ethiopian Airlines won SKYTRAX World Airline Award for Best Airline Staff Service in Africa.
It has won the African Airline of the Year Award offered by Air Transport Quarterly Magazine, Transformation Award 2012 from Planet Africa Network, International Diamond Prize for Excellence in Quality from the European Society for Quality Research, and many others.
Its chief executive Tewolde Gebremariam, won the African CEO of the year from the African CEO Forum, as well as African Business Leader of the Year award from the Corporate Council on Africa.
With its acquisition of firm orders for 37 new modern planes, this Pan-African airline is well positioned to pursue aggressively its vision to become a leading aviation group in Africa and beyond by 2025. Already the airline has on its fleet of 57 planes, four Boeing 787 Dreamliners, a feat no other African airline has achieved.
The Ethiopian Airlines also runs an academy which over the years has proven its worth in civil aviation skills development not only for its staff but also for those in the aviation industries of other African states.
In fact, the Ethiopian Aviation Academy has provided global standard aviation training to professionals in more than 40 African countries.
Africa must continue to work towards forming platforms for a practical Pan-Africanism that must see African states and businesses coming together more and more, to advance their common interests particularly when dealing with foreign investors.
The capital-intensive extractive industry needs this unity of purpose more than any of the other industries.
African states must increase trade amongst themselves and allow inter-state synergies to strengthen their bargaining positions.
Pan-African values must be used to build these synergies, and bring the people of Africa together, which is exactly what Ethiopian Airlines is doing.
Ethiopian Airlines has shown that through commitment, innovation and the right leadership, Africa is capable of wielding a powerful global presence.
Africa is clearly a sleeping giant whose awakening will trigger a shift in the balance of power on the world stage both economically and politically.
Africa must boldly flex its resource muscle and ingeniously use it to secure deals that bring forth-meaningful economic growth and development on the continent.
Ethiopian Airlines is indeed a symbol of Pan-Africanism and African renaissance. The airline is an inspiration, an African pride.
Yes, Ethiopian Airlines has proven beyond doubt that embedding Pan-African value systems in business operations brings business success to African firms competing on the hostile global marketplace.
l Bradwell Mhonderwa is an Ethics Coach and Trainer with the Business Ethics Centre. Send feedback to [email protected], or call 0772 913 875
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