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OUR ACHIEVEMENTS AND VISION FOR THE AVIATION INDUSTRY
Colleagues, I wish to share with you our Government’s efforts to upgrade and modernise our country’s International Airports in order to bring them to international standards. Our Government is developing the following (3) airports into ultra modern facilities:
• Rehabilitation of Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport and the construction of Passenger Terminal building of 1 million people at a cost of US$40 million – 460km from Lusaka. Work is almost complete and the commissioning of the project will be in April 2014;
• Re-development of Kenneth Kaunda International Airport with Passenger Terminal building of 4 million at a cost of US$385 million – Lusaka. Government has released US$25 million and the contractor is on site; and
• Relocation and construction of new Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Airport with Passenger Terminal building of 2 million at a cost of US$522 million – 330km from Lusaka. Government is sourcing the funds for this Greenfield project.
It is my sincere belief that, our Government’s commitment to investing heavily in our country’s economic infrastructure such as the upgrading and modernisation of airport infrastructure will boost our agriculture, manufacturing and tourism sectors.
As you may be aware, our country is at the centre of (2) regional growing markets and therefore offers immense opportunities for both local and foreign investors: SADC with a population of approximately 277 million people and a GDP of US$575.5 billion as well as COMESA which has approximately 459 million people with a GDP of US$508 billion.
In this vein, Lusaka which is about 2 hours away from most sub-regional capitals by air, is therefore ideal to be regional hub for passengers and cargo.
I wish call on the ZDA to intensify efforts in attracting investment in the development of airport infrastructure including terminals, cargo infrastructure, hotel and auxiliary infrastructure across the country. MCS- 13/02/14
