Ethiopia has begun construction of a new international airport, which is designed to become the largest in Africa. This reflects the ambitions of the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to boost the economy of one of the oldest countries in the world, which is the second most populous on the continent (over 130 million people), but on the other hand has a very low gross domestic product per capita (about $ 1,000 in 2024), BTA reported.
The new airport will be located in the city of Bishoftu, in Oromia state, about 45 kilometers southeast of the federal capital Addis Ababa. It is planned to become a leading hub for air transport in Africa and compete on a global level, notes Agence France-Presse.
Reuters indicates that the project is worth about $ 12.7 billion (11 billion euros), and the four-runway airport is planned to be ready in 2030.
The Ethiopian government has set itself more than a serious ambition - the future airport will serve 60 million passengers annually at first, and 110 million later. This would mean it will overtake the airport in the American city of Atlanta, which is now the busiest in the world, notes AFP.
Reuters indicates that the airport will have the capacity to receive 270 aircraft.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, accompanied by several ministers, "turned the first sod" at an official ceremony on Saturday. The project "will place Ethiopia among the world's major air hubs," he expressed confidence.
The project is the work of Ethiopian Airlines. The airline, which is fully state-owned, wants international flights to be redirected to Bishoftu from Bole Airport, which is located in the capital Addis Ababa itself.
This leads to a number of inconveniences, including further worsening of the problem of road traffic and noise pollution.
In addition, Abiy Ahmed pointed out, a modern multi-lane road will be built between Addis Ababa and the new airport. A 38-kilometer railway line will also be laid, allowing high-speed trains to travel between 120 and 200 kilometers per hour.
It is curious that for the needs of the future airport, which will cover an area of 35 square kilometers, lands of 2,500 owners were expropriated, compensated last year with a total of 350 million dollars,
Ethiopian Airlines embarked on the ambitious project in an attempt to improve its image after several plane crashes in its history, including that of the "Boeing 737 MAX 8" in 2019.
One of the larger goals of the country in Northeast Africa with its ancient history and amazing nature is to unleash its potential as a tourist destination and attract millions of visitors from abroad.
However, an obstacle to its implementation is the ongoing military conflicts in the two most populous Ethiopian states - Oromia, where the airport will be built, and neighboring Amhara.
The peace is also very fragile in the northern state of Tigray, which became the scene of a bloody war between the federal army and the rebel regional authorities at the beginning of this decade. The equation is further complicated by the intervention of neighboring Eritrea - a historical enemy of Ethiopia, but especially the Tigray People's Liberation Front.
Moreover, local gangs are also a threat to tourists. For example, a Turkish businessman was killed just the day before yesterday during a safari in an attack in the southwestern Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Province.
The future airport fits into the policy of the Ethiopian authorities in recent years to launch large infrastructure projects to give a boost to the economy, notes Agence France-Presse. These include large-scale reconstructions in cities, including in Addis Ababa, mainly the widening of streets and boulevards.
The most impressive project, however, was the opening last year of the largest dam in Africa. Symbolically called "Renaissance", hinting at the government's plans to turn Ethiopia into an economic powerhouse on the continent, it has, however, caused tension with countries in the region downstream of the Nile River, most notably Egypt.
Ethiopia's desire - the world's largest landlocked country - to acquire one has also caused serious tension in relations with neighboring Somalia in the Horn of Africa, supported by Egypt. In early 2024, Abiy Ahmed's government signed a deal to receive 20 kilometers of the Somaliland coast for a period of 50 years - a region that unilaterally declared independence from Somalia in 1991. Eventually, Ethiopia and Somalia reconciled at the end of the same year.
War in the Horn of Africa is highly unlikely, at least in the near future. Mostly because it would not be in the interest of any country in the poor and unstable region, especially now.
So, in all likelihood, Ethiopia will be able to proceed with its ambitious development projects. Their implementation would be facilitated, and their efficiency increased, by resolving the internal conflicts that continue to plague the country.