Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa (1st L, front) talks to project manager Wei Wei (2nd R) at the construction site of the expansion project of Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare, Zimbabwe, Sept. 1, 2021. The completion of Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport expansion will significantly increase tourist arrivals, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa said Wednesday. The project, undertaken by China Jiangsu International, a Chinese contractor, is underway despite delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Wanda/Xinhua)
HARARE, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The completion of Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport expansion will significantly increase tourist arrivals, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa said Wednesday.
When touring the project in capital Harare, Mnangagwa voiced his hope that the revamped airport will attract more airlines.
The 153-million-U.S.-dollar project, which received funding from the China Export-Import Bank, will add a new international terminal building and aprons, four new bridges, a secondary radar system, a VVIP pavilion, an airfield ground lighting and communication system, among other things.
The project is expected to increase the airport's holding capacity to 6 million people per annum from 2.5 million.
"It is my anticipation that we will be able to attract more airlines and increase frequency of the existing ones when this project is completed," he said.
The project, undertaken by China Jiangsu International, a Chinese contractor, is underway despite delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wei Wei, the project manager, said the new international terminal building would be completed by June 2022 and the whole project would be finished by June 2023. Enditem
