Via the STAT Trade Times, a report on a new Chinese-built e-commerce logistics hub in Ethiopia that Ethiopian Airlines hopes will position Addis Ababa to be the cross-border e-commerce logistics hub for Africa and beyond:

Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s biggest airline, inaugurated a state-of-the-art modern e-commerce logistics facility.

The first-of-its-kind facility in Africa has been constructed with an investment of $55 million. The specialised warehouse, dedicated solely to e-commerce goods, mail and courier logistics services, will revolutionise the industry in the African continent.

The African carrier is positioning Addis Ababa to be the cross-border e-commerce logistics hub for Africa and beyond.

Present at the inauguration ceremony of the new e-commerce logistics facility were Alemu Sime, Minister for Transport and Logistics, Ethiopia and Belete Molla, Minister of Innovation and Technology, Ethiopia. Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew, welcomed the guests.

“The inauguration of this cutting-edge e-commerce logistics facility is a significant breakthrough for Ethiopian Airlines Group and the entire African economy,” says Tasew. “We have implemented high-end technologies in the infrastructure that revolutionise the way goods are transported and delivered in the e-commerce industry in Africa. Through this facility, Ethiopian Airlines paves the way for development of e-commerce services in Ethiopia and the African continent. Built on 15,000 square metres of area, the facility boasts a capacity to handle 150,000 tonnes annually.”

Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics Services already operates a state-of-the-art cargo terminal, which is the largest in Africa. The terminal is fully automated with one of the latest cargo IT systems by adopting the latest aviation systems and technologies to provide efficient freight service across the globe.

The cargo and logistics services constitute about 35 percent of the Ethiopian Airlines Group’s total revenues today.