Page 1 of 11 10 August 2020 No. 1126 DEV Published biweekly – available by annual subscription only – www.mombergerairport.info Editorial office / Subscriptions Phone: +1 519 833 4642 e-mail: [email protected] Managing Editor / Publisher: Martin Lamprecht [email protected] News Editor: Paul Ellis [email protected] – Founding Editor: Manfred Momberger Momberger Airport Information by Air Trans Source Inc. – international news & data – published since 1973 AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT International News Each issue of Airport Development focuses on a different region of the world, with global news at the end of this section. A list of past focus regions published in recent years can be downloaded from the Bonus section in the subscriber pages of our website. Focus Region: Africa – The West Other Regions from page 11 SENEGAL President Macky Sall had announced the renovation of five secondary airports in September 2019. At Saint-Louis and Matam-Ouorossogui (in the north), Ziguinchor (in the south), Tambacounda (in the east) and Kédougou (in the south-east) runways woud be lengthened to at least 2,500 m. Two other airport in the south of Senegal, Kolda and Sédhiou, would also be upgraded under the country’s infrastructure development programme. The Government has inked an agreement worth XOF (ex-CFA) 100 billion (USD 176 million) with the Czech firm Transcon to rehabilitate the country’s regional airports. The agreement was initialed by the Minister of Air Transport & Airport Infrastructure Development, Maïmouna Ndoye Seck, and Transcon’s Director, Iija Mazanek, in the presence of the Czech ambassador to Senegal, Miloslav Machalek. The deal will extend over 47 months (about four years) and will help modernize five regional airports. The move falls in line with the Government’s will to make the country a major airport hub, and the national airline a key player in West Africa. “Today, Dakar’s air hub (with Dakar’s new Blaise Diagne International Airport; DSS) is growing with a greater fleet owned by Air Sénégal, which just signed a contract to acquire the latest A330neo jet, only five months after the purchase of two ATR 72- 600 turboprops which are actually being delivered,” the Minister said. In Senegal, aviation is a prime driver of economic growth. #1126.1 THE GAMBIA The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) recently signed an agreement with the Republic of the Gambia to provide a loan to finance the second phase of a development project at the capital’s Banjul International Airport (BJL). The improved facilities will see jobs increase to over 1,000. The number of passengers will increase by 43%, reaching 400,000 per year. The increase in capacity will allow five different airliners to be handled every three hours. The result of the expansion means that Banjul is set to become a regional air transport hub. The modernization and upgrading works are expected to contribute to the overall growth of The Gambia’s national GDP, impacting the lives of the country’s 2 million population either directly or indirectly. The SFD’s loan agreement is part of its on- going effort to enhance economic stability and prosperity in The Gambia. The SFD has previously provided loans totalling USD 169 million for twelve projects including transport, education, water and economic development and five grants worth USD 43.5 million towards projects in the water and energy sectors. The signing was attended by The Gambia's President Adama Barrow, the Gambian Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Mambury Njie, and the Minister of Transport, Bai Lamin Ousman Jobe. They were joined by Eng. Yousef al-Bassam, SFD Adviser, SFD Director of Legal Affairs, Abdulmohsen Almutlaq, and SFD Director of Public Relations, Faisal Alkhushaiban. Eng. Yousef al-Bassam said: “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia represented by the Saudi Fund for Development is pleased to be able to offer assistance to help develop the economy in The Republic of the Copyright © 2020 - Momberger Airport Information - www.mombergerairport.info Page 2 of 11 10 August 2020 No. 1126 DEV Gambia. An airport meeting international standards is vital for the growth of trade, tourism, investments, air transport, logistics and maintaining worldwide links.” -- The SFD is one of the largest development and sustainable assistance providers. Since 1975, the SFD has played a vital role by providing loans and financial assistance to more than 1,000 projects in developing nations. The SFD is aligned with the aims of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 roadmap which seeks to enhance economic and social stability in those countries which need it. #1126.2 GUINEA-BISSAU Renovation works on Bissau’s ‘Osvaldo Vieira International Airport’ (OXB) have been supported by a XOF 17.7 billion loan (EUR 27 million) from the West African Development Bank (BOAD), according to the Transport and Telecommunications Ministry. The refurbishment of the airport will include, among other things, the renovation of its runway and construction of a new technical building. A new presidential lounge reserved for heads of state and ambassadors, plus a room for members of the government and another for the speaker of parliament will also be built. -- Guinea-Bissau has been a member of the Agency for Security and Air Navigation in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA) since 2006. Founded in 1959, ASECNA is responsible for the management of airspace and air traffic security over an area of more than 16 million km². #1126.3 GUINEA The law firm Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP advised Africa50 and Aéroports de Paris on a 25-year concession agreement for developing and financing the modernization, extension and operation of Gbessia International Airport in Conakry (CKY). The concession was signed on 17 February 2020. The new terminal will have a capacity of 1 million passengers a year, about twice its current capacity (traffic to be reached by 2031). The project involves the construction and operation of a new domestic and international terminal, as well as a new cargo terminal, an aircraft parking area, and taxiways. The project also includes the renovation and extension of the runway and main taxiways. The first phase, representing an investment of almost EUR 120 million, was due to start in 2020. ADP Groupe will provide technical and operational know-how. Africa50 will bring its project development and finance expertise on board and will act as a bridge between the Guinean government and the private investors. The modernization of the airport will have a significant development impact, providing higher levels of service and safety for passengers and an expansion of economic activity. It should also lead to ICAO certification of the airport shortly after completion. The project embodies the Guinean government’s commitment to build innovative and efficient infrastructures to support the country’s growth. The concession agreement follows the signing of a shareholders’ agreement through which the partners took a stake in the new entity that will carry out the project, the Société de Gestion de l’Aéroport de Gbessia (SOGEAG), whose share capital is divided between the Republic of Guinea (34%), Africa50 (33%) and ADP Group (33%). -- Africa50 is an infrastructure investment platform that was founded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and African states. #1126.4 * “The Republic of Guinea and ADP have been working together for over 32 years and the signature of this agreement is a token of the friendship and the confidence as well as the ambition that they both share for Gbessia Conakry International Airport. For Groupe ADP, this airport is a fundamental investment in line with its development in Africa, at a time when the continent should see strong growth in its passenger traffic. It is our wish, with our partners, through the important investments that will be made, to turn this airport into a leading regional benchmark serving the Guinean population and the country’s economic development,” said Xavier Hurstel, Deputy Director General of the Group ADP. #1126.5 Copyright © 2020 - Momberger Airport Information - www.mombergerairport.info Page 3 of 11 10 August 2020 No. 1126 DEV SIERRA LEONE Freetown’s Lungi International Airport (FNA) re-opened to commercial flights on 22 July 2020 after it was closed in March to all international passenger flights due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This measure was initiated prior to confirmation of the first Covid-19 case in the country. Some of the initial measures before closure of the airport included mandatory quarantining of passengers traveling from countries affected by the outbreak at the time. Re-opening of the airport is part of the recent actions taken by the Sierra Leonean authorities to ease some of the restrictions instituted as part of the Covid-19 response. Bans have been lifted on inter-district travel and places of worship but with requirements to observe preventive measures. In readiness for the re-opening of the airport, the aviation sector and public health authorities and partners including WHO, IOM, are working closely to mitigate the risk of transmission of the disease among passengers as well as staff and service providers at the facility. A new travel advisory has been issued by the government containing safety and public health guidelines which passengers are required to fully comply with. The guidelines include mandatory laboratory testing for all inbound passengers upon arrival at the airport where a laboratory facility has been set up to facilitate the process. Proof of a negative Covid-19 result issued by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation within 72 hours prior to departure is a requirement for all outbound passengers. Following training of airport employees and service providers, as well as development of new operating procedures, the airport authority, aviation stakeholders and health sector partners conducted two full-scale field simulation exercises to test the readiness of the facility to manage the flow of passengers, and to detect persons suspected of Covid-19 or other public health conditions.