Abu Dhabi, Feb 5 (IANS/WAM): Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is increasing its commitment to Africa with the establishment of a new sales region -- Africa Sub-Sahara and Indian Ocean (AFI).

This brings to seven the number of geographical regions that make up the airline's global sales structure.

The other regions include the United Arab Emirates, the Middle East, North Africa and Levant, Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific North and the Indian Subcontinent, and Asia Pacific South and Australasia.

"Africa is quickly developing into the next big investment destination, with business growth on the rise and African economies amongst the fastest growing in the world,” Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways' chief commercial officer, was Wednesday quoted as saying in a statement

"We are experiencing strong passenger loads right across the continent, with passengers travelling through our hub in Abu Dhabi to the key commercial and tourism destinations in the Middle East, and further afield, to Europe, North America, the Indian Subcontinent, North Asia, South East Asia and Australia," he added.

The new AFI region currently covers six countries across Africa: Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, and the Republic of the Seychelles and the Maldives in the Indian Ocean.

Etihad Airways currently operates 90 flights per week between these countries and its hub in Abu Dhabi -- and this is further extended regionally by its codeshare agreements with Royal Air Maroc, South African Airways, Kenya Airways, and its equity partner Air Seychelles.