Ethiopia has signed a deal for designing a four-runway airport, set to be Africa’s largest upon completion in 2029.
Ethiopian Airlines CEO announced this on Friday, marking a major milestone for the country.
Located near Bishoftu, 45 km from Addis Ababa, the airport will handle 100 million passengers annually and park 270 aircraft, Ethiopian Airlines’ CEO Mesfin Tasew stated at a news conference.
Dubai-based firm Sidara will design the new airport, according to operations director Tariq Al Qanni.
The ambitious project is expected to significantly boost Ethiopia’s aviation capabilities.
Plans for this massive airport were initially announced in 2018.
The current Bole Addis Ababa International Airport, Ethiopia’s main hub, will soon reach its 25 million passenger capacity.
Mesfin mentioned that the $6 billion first phase will be funded by loans, with several companies already expressing interest.
Ethiopian Airlines aims to increase passengers to 20 million this year.