Russia Hopes To Launch Direct Flights To South Africa By Mid-2023 - Foreign Ministry

Russia hopes to launch direct flights to South Africa this summer, that is before the 2023 Russia-Africa summit in late July, Oleg Ozerov, Russian ambassador-at-large and the head of the Russia-Africa partnership forum, said on Wednesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th January, 2023) Russia hopes to launch direct flights to South Africa this summer, that is before the 2023 Russia-Africa summit in late July, Oleg Ozerov, Russian ambassador-at-large and the head of the Russia-Africa partnership forum, said on Wednesday.

"If we manage to and we hope to launch direct flights to South Africa, let's say, ahead of the (Russia-Africa) summit, and tourists will come. It will be one of the factors that, firstly, destroys propaganda stereotypes ... and also promotes learning the Russian language," Ozerov said at the Valdai Discussion Club.

The diplomat added that direct flights between the two countries would significantly contribute to the development of tourism in both Russia and South Africa.

Direct flights between Russia and South Africa were suspended in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022. In April 2022, the Russian government lifted restrictions on flights from and to over 50 states, including South Africa, and the two sides have been discussing the restoration of direct flights since then. Last week, South African Ambassador to Russia Mzuvukile Jeff Maqetuka told Sputnik that Pretoria was in talks with Russia's Nordwind Airlines about the launch of four direct weekly flights and was waiting for the air carrier's decision.