The flight hub is set to undergo major works (Image: The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority)
A tiny airport in East Africa is set to undergo a major revamp to turn it into an international flight hub. Arua Airport opened in the late 1950s, and serves the city of Arua in Uganda’s Northern Region. Located around 10 miles from the country’s border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and a gateway to South Sudan and Uganda’s West Nile region, it has long been a small but important regional connection.
However, despite its high traffic, it remains essentially a domestic airfield, and the limited international travel infrastructure in the region is believed to have held back economic growth. Authorities have set their sites on markedly expanding Arua Airport’s capacity, and have secured investment from the African Development Bank Group to finance a huge runway capable of hosting the largest jetliners, and a terminal with capacity for 700,000 passengers per year (a huge enhancement).
Authorities are looking to greatly enhance Uganda’s airport capacity (illustrative image) (Image: Getty)
The bank’s board of directors has approved loans of €155.99million (around £134.4m) in funding to upgrade the airport “into an international-standard facility”, it said.
The makes up almost the entire cost of the works, said by the bank to be €157.76 million (around £136m), with the Ugandan government making up the rest.
The works, which will take place under Phase 1 of the wider state-backed Uganda Airports Development Programme, aim to “improve domestic and regional connectivity through safer, more efficient and climate-resilient aviation infrastructure”, the bank says.
“It will involve the construction of a 3.5-kilometre paved runway capable of handling large aircraft such as the Boeing 777; new taxiways and aprons; a passenger terminal with capacity for 700,000 travellers annually, and a cargo terminal designed to handle 25,000 tonnes per annum.”
It will also involve the construction of a new control tower, as well as “access roads, car parking and modern safety systems”.
According to the African Development Bank Group, over half-million people in Arua City and District are “set to benefit directly from the programme, while the wider West Nile region, home to more than 3.3 million people, will gain from improved transport and investment opportunities”.
“The programme is expected to create about 500 direct jobs during construction and more than 1,400 indirect jobs in tourism, agriculture and trade,” it said.
“It will also provide skills training for at least 100 young people, including women, in engineering, construction and equipment operations.”
The project will be implemented by The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, which the Ministry of Works and Transport oversees.
The Authority’s Director General, Fred Bamwesigye, said the Arua Aiport improvement are a “significant development for Uganda, which will strengthen aviation infrastructure and regional connectivity, and is expected to stimulate social and economic transformation for the region.”
“Arua Airport is currently the second busiest in the country after Entebbe International Airport and has immense growth potential,” Mr Bamwesigye said.
He added that the airport will also function as an alternative to Entebbe International Airport (Uganda’s largest and busiest airport, located on the northern shores of Lake Victoria) during emergencies.
“We are highly grateful to the African Development Bank for its invaluable partnership and support in this transformative project,” he added.
A scheduled completion date has not yet been announced.
