The African Development Bank (AfDB) has signed an agreement with Ethiopia to collaborate on building a $7.8 billion international airport near Bishoftu, about 20 km southeast of Addis Ababa. The new airport is expected to be completed by 2040 and will have the capacity to handle 60 million passengers annually, positioning Ethiopia as northeast Africa’s main aviation hub. Ethiopia’s Finance Minister Ahmed Shide commended the AfDB’s comprehensive support but did not disclose the exact amount of funding. He also encouraged the bank to back other national projects in renewable energy and regional integration. AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina affirmed the bank’s full commitment to the airport and praised Ethiopia’s economic growth of over 8% in 2024. Currently, Bole International Airport, which opened in 1962 and was recently expanded by China Communications, serves the capital. With a capacity of 22 million passengers and tourism growing at 6% annually, expansion is essential.
Summarized from the original article published here: https://bit.ly/3GpnTz0
