(Ecofin Agency) - Turkish firms Limak and Summa committed to deliver Dakar’s new international airport, Blaise-Diagne, within the next 8 months. This was revealed on April 27, 2016 at the signing of agreements officializing charge transfers for construction of the infrastructure. After visiting the airport’s site today, I can assure you that we can finish construction way before eight months, said Salim Bora, CEO of Summa.

While it was expected to cost FCFA229 billion, the project has already swallowed FCFA400 billion. It was starting to weigh heavily on government’s shoulders.

At the beginning of February, Senegal’s president Macky Sall, visiting Turk president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, announced that he withdrew mandate from Saudi Binladin Group. Disagreements regarding contract’s terms paralyzed construction works for the new airport located in Diass, South-East of Dakar, in the Thiès region.

Minister of Tourism and Flights Maïmouna N’Doye Seck said the “quality of the agreement with Turkey, will preserve Senegal’s interest at all levels”.

Senegal’s government added that the infrastructure would be commissioned in a year at most, and cost remains the same.

The two Turkish companies were also entrusted with the management of the airport for 25 years, under a management firm in which the government is to detain 34% stake and get 20% of revenues.