A view of the new Dr. Antonio Agostinho Neto International Airport in Luanda, capital of Angola, on 21 October 2023 (XINHUA)

The new Dr. Antonio Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN) infrastructure project is valued at around $3 billion. The project was fully funded by the Angolan government as a public investment, with lending from the Chinese government for the airport construction. China National Aero-Technology International Engineering Corp, the key construction subsidiary of AVIC International Holding, is the contractor for the project. 

AIAAN is the most comprehensive and largest airport ever built by any Chinese enterprise outside China. The airport project has created more than 10,000 jobs for local residents, ranging from construction labourers to engineers and translators. 

But what does it mean to Angola, a Sub-Saharan country? 

Angola, a country located on the south-west coast of Sub-Saharan Africa, covers an area of 1.25 million square km. 

Crucial transport hub 

Angola is the eighth-largest economy on the African continent and one of Africa’s most resource-rich countries. The country was ranked 16th among the world’s largest oil producers in 2023 and fourth-largest rough diamond producer by value in 2022. Angola also has tremendous agricultural potential. The capital city of Luanda is the largest and most populous city in Angola. It is home to the country’s largest port city. It is the most important industrial, cultural and urban centre and serves as the administrative and economic hub of Angola. 

Luanda plays a crucial role in the country’s economy by serving as the nation’s main conduit for international trade. The city is undergoing remarkable development, and has launched infrastructure and urban planning projects aimed at transforming it into a cosmopolitan and modern centre. 

Air and rail transportation capacity expansion are high priorities in the Angolan government’s development plan. Through this plan, the government aims to make Angola a crucial hub for airport transportation in its sub-region and the rest of Africa. This new air hub will benefit about 415 million people in Southern Africa and become Angola’s main gateway to the world. 

Envisioned as one of the most important air hubs in Africa, the airport will make the country a powerhouse for regional trade and investment as well. Also, the hub will facilitate further growth of Angola’s transport and tourism sectors, which would boost development particularly in the underdeveloped rural areas of the country’s interior. 

AIAAN was officially inaugurated on 10 November 2023 by Angolan President Joao Lourenco. The airport is named after the nation’s first president. The airport will serve as the country’s main hub for passenger and cargo services, gradually replacing Luanda’s Quatro de Fevereiro Airport. 

The airport is situated in the commune of Bom Jesus, Icolo and Bengo City, Luanda Province, which is approximately 40 km from the country’s capital Luanda. The government has built convenient bus and train connections between the city and the airport.  

Photo taken on 10 November 2023 shows the departure hall inside the domestic terminal of the new Dr. Antonio Agostinho Neto International Airport in Luanda, capital of Angola (XINHUA) 

A monumental project  

The airport is designed to handle 15 million passengers per year – 10 million international and 5 million domestic - and 130,000 metric tonnes of cargo. Upon its full operation, the massive facility will be able to handle  about 100,000 flights each year, and will serve as a hub for domestic, regional and international connections. 

The airport facility has a total area of 1,324 hectares, with two parallel runways suitable for the largest commercial planes. The northern runway is 4,200 metres long and 60 metres wide, while the southern runway is 3,800 metres long and 60 metres wide. 

The modern passenger terminal building, which occupies 160,000 square metres of land, has 12 aircraft finger docks. The airport has 31 boarding gates - 19 for international services and 11 for domestic services. It also has nine conveyor belts for baggage storage and transit, six of which are dedicated for international flights. 

The cargo terminal occupies 6,200 square metres of area with an annual cargo capacity of 35,000 tonnes. The cargo compound offers safe and efficient facilities for handling various types of goods, including refrigerated, dangerous, and valuable goods as well as live animals. 

The airport has an 82-metre-tall control tower, 26 counters for the Immigration and Foreigners Service, and a parking lot for 1,710 vehicles. Other complimentary facilities include shops and services, office buildings, hangars, and lounges. To take advantage of the air hub, the Angolan government has planned to construct office buildings, hotels, conference and exhibition halls, bonded zones and logistics facilities surrounding the new airport. 

AIAAN is one of the key projects of the Belt and Road cooperation between China and Angola. Under the BRI, China has supported modern infrastructure projects that have injected vitality into Angola’s economic and social development. Cooperation between China and Angola has become increasingly close in recent years as the countries worked together under the BRI. The BRI is well integrated into Angola’s long-term development plan and can help drive Angola’s economic and social progress. 

So far, Chinese companies have contributed to the restoration or construction of 2,800 km of railways, 20,000 km of roads, over 100,000 housing units, more than 100 schools and over 50 hospitals in Angola, and more than 400 Chinese companies have a presence in Angola. 

There is no doubt that the landmark AIAAN airport project will improve connectivity and boost economic activity in Angola and make Angola a crucial hub for airport transportation. This project will also set an example for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between China and Angola.  

A view of Luanda, capital of Angola, on 9 March (XINHUA)  

The author is a columnist