Khartoum new airport gets the go ahead with Chinese investment

The Chinese company said yesterday that the new airport will have a runway long enough for the giant Airbus A380 and that it will be located near Omdurman, 40km south of Khartoum.

The company says the new airport will strengthen Sudan's international ties, which have suffered due to sanctions and a poor aviation safety record.  China is Sudan’s biggest investor and led to a growth in air traffic. The current Khartoum airport near the city centre has more than two million passengers and growth is expected   if the country separates and end conflict between the north and the south.

Last month Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir accepted the result of a referendum on independence for the south, in which some 99% of voters chose to secede.

The new airport will feature two runways, a cargo-city area  and large open plan terminal buildings.

German engineering specialist Dorsch Gruppe has been involved in the outline design. The company has a base in Abu Dhabi and was responsible for the new Bangkok airport and also worked on Medina Airport.