Ethiopian Airlines Group and the African Development Bank (AfDB)signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) Saturday, agreeing to establish a partnership to undertake Ethiopia’s new Bishoftu International Airport Development Project.
The new international airport will have the capacity to handle 100 million passengers a year and will provide parking for 270 aircraft.
The Mega Airport City will rest on 1.1 million square meter terminal including extensive passenger and commercial facilities.
The new airport is positioned at a lower elevation compared to the current primary hub, Addis Ababa, which is situated at one of the world’s most elevated locations – which presents unique operational challenges for aircraft.
Ethiopia’s new international airport expansion project, spearheaded by the State-Owned Ethiopian Airlines Group, will address the fast growing international and domestic demand for passenger and cargo services, which the current Addis Ababa Bole International airport cannot accommodate as it will reach its maximum capacity shortly given the current pace of passenger growth.
The LOI is signed by Mesfin Tasew, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO, and Mrs. Nnenna Nwabufo, Vice President for Regional Development, Integration, and Strategy, representing the African Development Bank (AfDB). The signing occurred in the presence of Akinwumi Adesina, the President of AfDB and Ahmed Shide, Minister of Finance of Ethiopia.
AfDB president Akinwumi Adesina, said his organisation is committed to supporting the new airport development project, which he referred as an African flagship initiative.
MG/as/APA