afrol News, 24 February - The World Bank has approved a $280 million loan to support Cairo Airport Development Project (CADP) Second Terminal Building (TB2).

The project aims to support Egypt’s air transport sector, which is highly strategic for the country’s economic development, through responding to the rapidly rising passenger traffic at the Cairo International Airport and reinforcing the role of CAI as a regional hub. The objectives of the project are to support the Government of Egypt (GOE) to enhance the quality of airport services through an increase in the capacity of Cairo International Airport (CAI), and to strengthen air transport in Egypt.

The Cairo International Airport (CAI) is the largest airport in Egypt and the second largest in Africa after Johannesburg in South Africa. Currently, Cairo International Airport is used by 58 passenger airlines, including charter operators, 10 cargo operators, and has a total capacity of 21 million passengers per annum (mppa) divided into three terminal buildings.

“The World Bank has been keen to support the continuous efforts of the Government of Egypt in the air transport sector. Thus, our support is in line with the Bank’s Country Assistance Strategy which identifies enhancing the provision of public services as a key objective to achieve sustainable growth,” said David Craig, Country Director for Egypt, Yemen and Djibouti.

“This project follows upon the Airport Development Project (ADP) approved in 2004 and serves as a good example of the strong and fruitful partnership between the Government of Egypt and the World Bank,” he further added.

The project has two components, the first being rehabilitation and expansion of the TB2 at Cairo International Airport, while the second component of the project is technical assistance and studies to strengthen the institutional capacity of the sector's institutions.

“The construction of a new terminal on the site of the existing Terminal Building 2 with a capacity up to 7.5 million passengers per annum, increases the overall capacity of CAI to 25 million passengers per annum,” said,” said Michel Bellier, the World Bank Task Team Leader.

“The new TB2 and Terminal Building 3 (TB3) will be operated jointly as one integrated terminal, thus, reinforcing the role of Cairo International Airport as a regional hub,” he further added.

The now completed ADP supported the construction of TB3 at CAI and of a new terminal building at Sharm El-Sheikh Airport. Terminal Building 3 at Cairo International Airport (CAI) has increased CAI’s current capacity by 11 million passengers per year and the national strategy for air cargo prepared under the capacity strengthening component will respond to the high growth of freight traffic.

By staff writer

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