Congo and Burkina Faso have struck a bilateral agreement aimed at linking Pointe-Noire, Congo’s economic centre and second largest city, to Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, by next January.
“We have finalised the agreement and will operate the maiden flight today (Tuesday) pending the start of the regular commercial flights next 4 January,” the Congolese Minister of Transports and Civil Aviation, Emile Ouosso, said.
According to Ouosso, the direct air link between Pointe-Noire and Ouagadougou is aimed at fostering trade exchanges between the two nations.
“Burkina Faso enjoys undeniable assets and this will indeed enable economic operators to brace up for better trade exchanges. This accord will help develop significant exchanges between Burkina Faso and Congo,” he said.
“We thought it was time to sign the bilateral agreements on air transport to increase the exchanges between our two countries, particularly in the area of agriculture, mainly livestock and vegetables, for which Burkina has huge potentials,” said the Burkinabe Minister of Social Action and National Solidarity, Gilbert Noël Ouedraogo.
The launch of the air link will also strengthen exchanges among countries in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) and those of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community(CEMAC).
The two countries’ national airlines – Air Congo and Air Burkina – will operate two weekly flights under the pact
