Ethiopia to Build Biggest Airport in Africa

 Nanyang Technological University in Singapore published on 23 August 2024 an article titled "Ethiopia Awards Contract to Construct the Biggest Airport in Africa."

Ethiopian Airlines awarded a contract to a consortium led by Dar, a Middle East-based architecture and engineering consultancy, to develop what will become the largest airport in Africa located 40 kilometers from Addis Ababa.  The first phase will cost $6 billion and be operational in 2029.

Chinese-built and Financed Addis Ababa Airport Is Largest in Africa

South Africa's Business Insider published on 31 January 2019 an article titled "Inside the Brand-new Biggest Airport in Africa, Which Also Features the Largest Chinese Restaurant on the Continent" by George Tubei.

Xinhua posted on 30 January 2019 an article titled "Ethiopian Airlines' Latest Chinese-built Infrastructure To Power Continental Ambition" by Michael Tewelde.

The Export-Import Bank of China financed the $363 million airport expansion project, which was built by China Communications Construction Company. Not only is the airport the largest in Africa but Ethiopian Airlines passed South African Airways last year as the largest African carrier.

Djibouti Steps Up Ties with China

The South China Morning Post published on 21 November 2017 an article titled "From Rail and Airports To Its First Overseas Naval Base, China Zeroes in on Tiny Djibouti" by Kinling Lo.

Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh is making a state visit to China this week. This follows the signing last week of a memorandum of understanding with a Chinese company to invest $4 billion in a natural gas project to build a liquefaction plant and pipeline that will bring gas from Ethiopia's Ogaden region to Djibouti for export. China has other major infrastructure projects in Djibouti that include an airport, port, free trade zone, railway to Addis Ababa, and a military base.

China and Djibouti Expand Ties

News Ghana reprinted on 24 June 2016 an analysis by the Oxford Business Group titled "Djibouti and China to Build Global Trade Routes."

You can access the original report published on 16 June 2016 by the Oxford Business Group titled "Djibouti Partners with China to Develop Local Infrastructure and Global Trade Routes" in English and French.

The report suggests that Djibouti is a key link in China's One Belt One Road project.