Rwanda has completed most of the civil works of an international airport project in Bugesera, a district in the east of the country despite delays associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
It would be ready for operation by December next year, a senior government official said on Wednesday.
So far Qatar Airways has agreed to take a 60 percent stake in the project, which, as a whole, is valued at around $1.3 billion – compared to the initial $818 million.
According to the minister of Infrastructure, Claver Gatete, the government is on course to begin the construction of terminals and other required infrastucture scheduled to start in the next two months.
“We are doing our level best to have construction activities completed by the end of next year if all goes as planned.” Gatetesaid.
According to him, construction activities of the airport were hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic with only 50 percent of workers allowed on the site at a given time.
Under the new redesign, the new airport will accommodate seven million passengers per year for the first phase – almost double the initial capacity.
A second phase for 14 million passengers a year is expected to start by 2032.
CU/as/APA