Africa's biggest airport project puts Chinese firms on shortlist
Chinese state-owned contractors have been shortlisted for all four main construction packages at Ethiopia's US$12.5 billion Bishoftu International Airport.
Ethiopian Airlines Group has completed prequalification of construction firms and joint ventures for the expansion of Bishoftu Airport, Ethiopia's biggest project. Chinese state firms hold 15 of the 33 places on the list, including companies like China Communications Construction Company and China Road and Bridge Corporation. Western contractors, such as Webuild, Vinci Construction Grands Projets, and Samsung C&T, are also shortlisted.
No independent American contractor was included despite U.S. government efforts. The project requires over $9 billion in external funding, with $8.5 billion in loans already secured from various lenders. Ethiopia's African Development Bank is acting as the lead arranger, providing $500 million subject to appraisal. Ethiopia aims to attract both Chinese and Western partners to ensure a balanced mix of infrastructure elements, such as heavy civil engineering, avionics, security, and digital infrastructure.
Written by urgent.news from VnExpress International's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
