CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC SIGNED CONSTRUCTION OF NEW AIRPORT DEAL WITH BRICS ALLIANCE

The Central African Republic (CAR) government has signed a framework agreement with the BRICS alliance for the construction of a new international airport in the country. 

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on 18 January during a working visit by a BRICS delegation to CAR, according to a government social media post on 19 January. The Facebook post further states that the UAE will provide US$200 million in funding for the project, which will be built on a new site.

Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Herbert Djono-Haba inked the deal with Abdulaziz Alkhuwaiter, head of projects at UAE-based engineering firm Engsol Holding.

The agreement will see the construction of a greenfield airport with two terminals, six runways, five-star hotels, and shopping malls. 

Alkhuwaiter was quoted as saying the proposed airport will form a new gateway for the landlocked country. 

Larisa Zelentsova, president of the International Alliance of BRICS Strategic Projects, said the alliance is ready to implement many projects for the country’s development, including the construction of the new airport and others such as the project to launch a satellite.

CAR is currently renovating Bangui M’poko International Airport, which was built in 1967 and is said to no longer meet the operational needs of a modern international airport in its current state. The African Development Bank (AfDB) is supporting the project. 

In September, the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation invited bids for phase 2b of the airport renovation, with a mid-October deadline. 

Phase 2b is divided into two lots. Lot 1 covers renovation work on the terminal, parking lot, roads, and water tower, while lot 2 covers the supply and construction of a power plant.
 
Phase 2a concerned the supply and installation of equipment and furniture as well as maintenance. 

Phase 2 has a total cost of US$13.3 million, with the AfDB contributing US$10.7 million. The project has a completion date of 30 June 2024. 

Phase 1 involves the refurbishment of the upper floor of the terminal building in the departure zone as part of airport facilitation and security activities, with a total cost of US$1.5 million fully financed by the AfDB. 

According to an implementation progress report published in December 2023, the project was significantly behind schedule and an extension of the funding closing date was necessary to allow all works to be carried out. The planned completion date is 30 June 2024. 

Previously, in April 2020, US-based IIB Development Group announced it had signed an MoU with the CAR transport ministry that granted it the right to carry out the development, design, financing, construction, commissioning, maintenance, operation, and management of the airport, with a project value of US$300 million.

SOURCE: Xalqq