• Djibouti seeks AfDB funding for delayed Biidley Airport
• Project aims for 1.5 million passengers annually
• Airport central to 2035 regional logistics hub plan

Djibouti has stepped up efforts to secure funding for the long-delayed Biidley International Airport, holding talks with the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Abidjan on Wednesday, Feb. 18, about possible financing. The discussions follow similar meetings in October 2025 with the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD).

A long-delayed project

The contract was initially awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), and ground was broken in January 2015. The project was suspended in October 2017 to launch a new international tender, ushering in years of uncertainty.

Under initial plans, Biidley Airport is designed to handle all types of commercial aircraft, with annual capacity projected at 1.5 million passengers and 100,000 tons of cargo. It is intended to ease pressure on Ambouli International Airport, which is nearing capacity and has limited room for expansion.

Air transport as a pillar of Djibouti’s logistics strategy

Officials describe the airport as central to Djibouti’s ambition to become a regional logistics hub by 2035. The strategy has already included the development of the Doraleh multipurpose port, largely financed by Chinese capital. Inaugurated in 2017, the port has an annual capacity of 7.08 million tons of cargo and 200,000 TEUs, with a second terminal planned.

Djibouti aims to capitalize on its strategic position on the Red Sea to consolidate its role as the main trade gateway for landlocked Ethiopia, one of Africa’s most populous countries. South Sudan is also among the markets being targeted. Over time, port and airport infrastructure are to be integrated with rail and road corridors, including the South Sudan-Ethiopia-Djibouti corridor, whose Phase 2 secured $214.47 million in AfDB financing in December 2025.

Within this broader transport network, Biidley Airport is part of a model built on linking maritime, rail, road and air connections. While passenger traffic remains important, cargo is a critical component, including perishable goods, urgent industrial inputs, high-value merchandise and shipments linked to regional e-commerce.

The Ethiopian factor

Djibouti’s positioning may face growing competition from Ethiopia. Already a major aviation hub through Ethiopian Airlines and Addis Ababa’s airport, Ethiopia is developing the Bishoftu mega-airport project. At the same time, it has stepped up diplomatic efforts to secure direct sea access from neighboring coastal states and to diversify its logistics routes.

Henoc Dossa