Ethiopia has signed an agreement to design and construct what will become Africa’s largest airport, expected to be completed by 2029. Ethiopian Airlines CEO Mesfin Tasew announced the plans on Friday, revealing that the new airport will be located near the town of Bishoftu, about 45 kilometres (28 miles) from the capital, Addis Ababa.
The ambitious project will feature four runways and will have the capacity to handle 100 million passengers per year, along with parking facilities for 270 aircraft. This development is set to significantly enhance Ethiopia’s status as a key aviation hub on the continent.
The design work for the new airport will be undertaken by Dubai-based engineering and consulting firm Sidara, according to the company’s director of operations, Tariq Al Qanni. The project was initially announced in 2018, with Ethiopian Airlines pushing forward to accommodate the growing demand for air travel in the region.
Bole Addis Ababa International Airport, currently the main hub for Africa’s largest airline, is approaching its limit of 25 million passengers per year. ‘This new airport project, expected to be completed in five years, will be the largest in Africa,’ Mesfin stated. The first phase of construction alone is estimated to cost $6bn, to be financed through loans, with several companies already expressing interest in backing the project.
In the 2023/2024 financial year, Ethiopian Airlines carried 17 million passengers and aims to increase that number to 20 million in the current financial year. The new airport will be crucial in supporting this growth and reinforcing Ethiopia’s position as a leading aviation hub in Africa.
Xinhua
