Panafrican News Agency

Sky Mali makes maiden flight from Bamako to Timbuktu

Bamako, Mali (PANA) - A new airline in Mali, Sky Mali, made its maiden commercial flight on Monday on the Bamako-Timbuktu route.

The airline, which will fly the route twice a week, -- Mondays and Fridays -- has for the past three months been flying from Bamako to Kayes in the west.

The maiden Bamako-Timbuktu flight had 97 passengers including the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Makan Fily Dabo, his colleague of Culture, Handicrafts and Tourism, Ms. Kadiatou Konaré, and the General Manager of Sky Mali, Tahir N'Diaye.

Flying the route will contribute to the opening up of Timbuktu and the strengthening of the umbilical cord between Bamako and the north of the country.

According to the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, this achievement is the concrete expression of solidarity with Timbuktu, "a city of culture and history".

He gave the assurance that the ministry would provide technical assistance to Sky Mali.

The Malian Minister of Culture, Handicraft and Tourism said that Sky Mali's operations would enable tourism to bounce back and develop in the region.

The General Manager of the airline stressed that operating the Bamako-Timbuktu axis is a consecration of the accomplishment of his company's business plan to build an efficient domestic network to enable Malians to travel safely.

-0- PANA GT/JSG/BBA/MA 3Feb2021