The Rwandan government will start construction of a new international airport in June next year at a cost of $818 million. The government is aiming to boost tourism in the country and position it as a conference destination.
An agreement was signed with Portuguese construction company Mota-Engil earlier this month for the funding of the airport project. The new Bugesera International Airport will be 5km south-east of the city centre.
According to the Rwandan Minister for Infrastructure, construction is expected to begin in June next year and be completed by December 2018. “We are building a new airport to complement Kigali International Airport to create more room for international flights and passengers visiting our country,” said the Minister.
The Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority said the existing international airport in Kigali had an annual capacity of 1.6 million passengers. Mota-Engil Africa chief executive, Manuel Antonio Mota, said when the first phase was complete, the new airport would be able to handle 1.7 million passengers a year and that the second phase would increase capacity to 4.5 million passengers a year.
