The development of various ground-level facilities and infrastructure at the new international airport in Bugesera District in the Eastern Province is 85 per cent complete, according to Aviation Travel and Logistics (ATL).

According to ATL, a government-owned holding company managing aviation-related activities and overseeing construction works of the new airport, the development phase includes substations, taxiways, runways, drainage concrete works, earthwork platforms, aircraft parking, connecting taxiways, and internal service roads.

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Jules Ndenga, the CEO of ATL, told The New Times that for the second component, the contract is expected to be awarded this year in July.

The second component of the construction, she explained, will consist of building a passenger terminal building, a cargo terminal building, an air traffic control tower, and buildings for security, administration, and offices.

The new international airport’s construction was initially scheduled to be finished in 2026.

However, Ndenga said it is anticipated that the construction work will be completed in 2027.

"The next step will be to train the workforce, test and commission the airport, and obtain aerodrome certification, which should take around a year. As a result, the airport will be operational in 2028,” he said.

The new airport, located about 40 kilometers south of Kigali, has created employment for between 1,800 and 2,000 workers, including those working for the project management company, directly employed by the project itself, and those working for companies subcontracted for specialised tasks.

The airport was initially estimated to cost $2 billion, but Ndenga noted that the cost might change or remain the same depending on different factors.

Airport capacity

Once completed, the airport will have a 130,000-square-meter main terminal structure capable of handling 8 million passengers per year, and this is expected to increase to more than 14 million in the future.

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The airport will be connected to the regional Rusumo hydroelectric power as a way of increasing the uptake of renewable energy. There will also be an intelligent system in terms of electricity use at the airport.

The greening of the airport will showcase the government’s commitment to the implementation of the Green Building Minimum Compliance System (GBMCS), which is part of Rwanda’s National Building Code.

The airport’s greening comprises energy savings, water conservation, waste management and material efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and green transportation within the airport, among others.

Under the ongoing work, the airport aims to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification, a global programme that certifies green buildings.

It includes a set of rating systems for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of green buildings, homes, and neighborhoods, which aim to help building owners and operators be environmentally responsible and use resources efficiently.