Airport in Cape Verde’s capital doubles its capacity

The international airport in Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, will have its passenger and luggage processing capacity doubled within two years, said Monday the Minister of Infrastructure and the Maritime Economy.
Minister Sara Lopes was speaking to Portuguese news agency Lusa about the airport expansion project, whose foundation stone was laid on Monday by Prime Minister José Maria Neves and which will process 800,000 passengers per year “with comfort and quality services.”
As part of the airport master plan the work, initially scheduled for 2014, is expected to cost 3 billion escudos (27.2 million euros) and exclude, for now, the extension of the runway, which is currently 2,100 metres long, by another 500 meters.
The financing agreement was reached in June 2013, and the African Development Bank (AfDB) pledge to fund the following project, to extend the runway, which does not currently allow for large aircraft to land.
The expansion of the airport apron, estimated to cost 2.26 million euros, was awarded to Portuguese company Armando Cunha.
Fernandes Henriques Pimenta, responsible for the international area of Armando Cunha, noted that the company built the international airport of São Vicente from scratch, including its design, financing and construction, between 2005 and 2008 and also expanded the airfield on Maio island. MDT/Macauhub