The new Bugesera International Airport in the pipeline will receive its first flight in 2015.

This was revealed yesterday by Vincent Karega, the Minister of Infrastructure, in an interview with The New Times. 

The design works on the new airport are almost complete and the process of mobilizing funds is on course.

"There are high chances that we will get the funds because it is a viable investment,” Karega said.

"The study is 90 percent complete and after incorporating and ICAO comments, the study will soon be 100 percent complete”.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is an agency of the United Nations that regulates affairs of international aviation.

Karega noted that the airport will be developed in two phases, beginning with the terminal and the first runway while the second runway will be added as demand grows.

A British engineering company, TPS Consult, is working on a detailed design for a new airport which remains a pre-requisite before the airport’s actual construction works begin. The airport will, according to government, be constructed through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs).

According to its contract with government, TPS Consult is responsible for coming up with a detailed design work for all the buildings and infrastructure.

It will also draw up details of operational items and equipment that will be required for a fully functional airport.
Last year, the ministry estimated that the first phase of the construction will cost US$350m (Rwf 200bn).

The airport is designed to handle 450 passengers per peak hour and over 1 million annually during its first phase.
It will have the capacity to handle 15,500 tonnes of cargo annually with eight flight movement per hour during peak hours.

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