Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

e official opening of its new Africa headquarters in Nairobi, as part of its strategic plan to bolster its network and enhance services in the region.

The new region now consists of seven markets, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Djibouti, South Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana, with the addition of South Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana as new markets.

“It exemplifies the confidence that the airline has in Kenya and the future that lies ahead of our aviation sector. We view this space as a testimony of confidence that the two countries and the European Union have in Kenya,” said Kipchumba Murkomen, CS for Transport.

The new office is situated in Merchant Square on Riverside Drive and will serve East and Southern Africa, as well as Nigeria and Ghana. The group currently operates flights to various destinations in East Africa, including Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.

“It made sense to bundle the strength of the different countries by creating a regional office in Nairobi which has become a centre of excellence to align our Air France & KLM policies and processes for this region and support the local teams for their specific requirements,” said Senior Vice President of Long-Haul at Air France-KLM Zoran Jelkic.

Air transport in Kenya contributes greatly to the economy of this country and has created 15,000 jobs and another 96,000 jobs in the food chain.

According to IATA, Air transport sector contributes $1.6 billion to Kenya’s gross domestic product (GDP) and another $1.6 billion in the tourism sector translating to 5 per cent of GDP.