(Ecofin Agency) - In application of its 2021-2024 poverty reduction strategy “New Direction”, Sierra Leone is implementing several measures to develop all sectors of the country's economy. One of the sectors benefiting from these reforms is civil aviation, which authorities want to strengthen and transform.  

Sierra Leonne has inaugurated a new airport terminal, the Presidency announced last Sunday. According to the government, the terminal is worth $270 million.

The infrastructure built in Lungi is the result of an agreement between Sierra Leone and the Turkish government. It can handle up to one million passengers a year, five times the airport's current capacity. The initiative is part of the government's "New Direction" program, one of the objectives of which is "to develop a strong and transparent regional air transport system that is safe, reliable, efficient, affordable, well connected in West Africa and integrated into the global network.

"This airport is bigger and more modern and it has been built with zero cents in debt through the Build Operate and Transfer system. The Turkish people have used their  money to build this brand-new terminal and new facilities. We owe them nothing. After operating the airport for some years, they will give us the airport for free," said President Maada Bio.

Ultimately, this investment will create jobs, boost new growth sectors, support international trade, and attract new investments. The infrastructure is the largest Turkish private investment in sub-Saharan Africa. It will be powered by solar energy and battery technology, according to the Turkish company that built it.

On May 10, 2022, while opening the last session of the fifth Parliament, President Maada Bio clearly expressed his intention to improve safety and security in the country’s civil aviation by certifying the Freetown International Airport (FNA) to International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARP).

Jean-Marc Gogbeu