Kigali, September 1^st, 2016- The Government of Rwanda through Aviation Travel and Logistics Holdings Limited (ATL) signed with Mota-Engil, Engenharia e Construção África S.A a Joint Venture as well as an agreement to develop Bugesera International Airport. ATL is a holding company recently approved by cabinet to oversee management of RwandAir, Airports and Akagera Aviation training facilities.

The two parties signed the agreement at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in Kigali.

The Construction works of the anticipated Bugesera International Airport is scheduled to start in June 2017, according to the signed agreement. The Portuguese firm deals in civil construction, port operations and logistics.

According to the signed agreement, Mota-Engil will   Finance, Construct and Operate the Airport Project, over a period of 25 years with an optional 15 years extension. The project with initial investment of US$ 418 million shall be fast tracked to be completed by December 2018.

The Portuguese company intends to deliver a facility of international standards with capacity to handle about 1.7 million passengers every year. Upon completion of the first phase, in December 2018, the developer will commence expansion works which will increase the airport’s capacity to 4.5 million passengers per year and costing an additional USD US$400 million. That would bring the amount spent on the whole project to US$818 million. “Emmanuel Mota, the Chief Executive Officer, Mota-Engil   noted”

According to the Minister of Infrastructure, Hon. James Musoni, once completed, Bugesera International Airport will become Rwanda’s largest International Airport, serving commercial flights. It is expected to boost the country’s economic growth and development. The project will enhance Rwanda’s economic growth and development through increased tourism as a Business Conference destination.

The Minister emphasized the urgency for the proposed airport saying it will help accommodate the ever-growing air traffic in a country that’s on its march to becoming a major conference and business hub.

He allayed fears that the airport project could experience delays as was the case with the Kigali Convention Centre saying that the experience garnered putting up the latter offered invaluable lessons to the government with regard to undertaking of large projects.

According to Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Amb. Claver Gatete, the 5,972 households have already been expropriated from the land gazetted for the airport. However, only 30 people did not indicate clearly their bank details. “The money is there, and the land is cleared for the work to start,” he said.

The choice of the Public-Private Partnership model in the execution of the Bugesera International Airport project as opposed to Government borrowing money to put up the facility was informed by the need to speed up the proposed facility’s development and to increase its profitability.

The Government has been investing heavily from the money we generate from taxes, and from loans and grants. But then we have reached a level where we need to develop faster. Whenever we do business in joint ventures with the private sector, we can achieve much more with less,” he said.

Mr. Manuel MOTA, Mota-Engil, Engenharia e Construção África S.A, vowed the commitment of the Company to develop the project on the desired standards and lauded the existing cooperation with Government of Rwanda. He emphasized the company’s commitment to partner with the Country in its development endeavor.

During the signing ceremony, Hon. Ministers Amb. Claver Gatete and James Musoni who represented the Government of Rwanda appreciated Mota-Engil’s commitment to partner in this project and stressed that this will be a transformational undertaking for the Country and pledged the Government’s full support for the success of the project