National flag carrier Turkish Airlines (THY) will resume direct flights to the Zambian capital Lusaka on March 26 after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Türkiye's Ambassador to Zambia, Istem Cırcıroğlu, told Anadolu Agency (AA) from Lusaka Tuesday that the resumption of the Istanbul-Lusaka route will connect the two cities to each other and the rest of the world.

"This is a positive development for both Türkiye and Zambia as the direct flights between Istanbul and Lusaka will facilitate business trips, travel and tourism. Turkish Airlines, as a world-class and five-star global airline, will enable Zambian citizens easier trips to Türkiye and better options of connections to other destinations," Cırcıroğlu said.

Direct flights between the two cities were grounded in March 2020 at the height of the pandemic. The resumption was a milestone for the economies of the two countries, whose trade more than doubled from $25 million in 2021 to $52 million in 2022, Cırcıroğlu highlighted.

"Zambians should take advantage of the direct flights to visit Türkiye and sample its rich cultural heritage and opportunities for business," added Cırcıroğlu as she announced that the airline's director Abdulkadir Karaman was due for a visit to Lusaka.

The flights to and from Lusaka join other scheduled flights by the airline to 126 countries and 340 destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.