KAMPALA, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Uganda Airlines, the country's national carrier, has launched scheduled flights between Entebbe and Accra, Ghana, establishing a new air link between East and West Africa to facilitate trade, tourism and investment.
The service operates four times a week, offering passengers more convenient travel options and connections to destinations across the airline's international network.
Uganda's Minister of Works and Transport Fred Byamukama said the new route would facilitate business engagement, promote tourism and strengthen ties between Uganda and Ghana.
"The Entebbe-Accra service will offer travelers a direct connection between two important commercial centers, facilitate business engagement, support tourism and strengthen people-to-people relations," Byamukama said on Tuesday before flagging off the inaugural flight.
He commended Ghana for its visa-free entry policy for holders of all categories of Ugandan passports, saying improved air connectivity should be accompanied by policies that facilitate cross-border movement.
"As we implement continental initiatives such as the Single African Air Transport Market and the African Continental Free Trade Area, improved connectivity must go hand in hand with policies that make it easier for Africans to travel, trade and invest across borders," he said.
Byamukama said Uganda had placed a firm order for eight Boeing aircraft. The country is also pursuing the acquisition of additional freighter aircraft to strengthen cargo operations.
Uganda Airlines currently serves several African destinations, including Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Juba, Johannesburg, Lagos and Abuja, as well as international destinations such as Dubai, Mumbai and London. ■
