According to a note from the Provincial Government of Cabinda, to which VerAngola had access, the act of laying the first stone for the construction of the New International Airport of Cabinda took place, on Friday (May 19), in the town of Sassa-Zau, in the commune of Malembo.
The contract, according to the note, will start next month. "The future infrastructure, whose consignment note was signed, begins to be built next June and aims, fundamentally, to decongest the flow of passengers that the province has registered in recent times, in terms of passenger and cargo transport. flight to the capital of the country (Luanda) and vice versa, taking into account the geographical discontinuity of Cabinda with the rest of the country", reads the statement.
The future infrastructure will have an airstrip measuring 3500 meters long and 45 meters wide, as well as a passenger terminal measuring 12,000 square meters, with "a movement of 700 passengers for domestic flights and 500 for international flights, at peak hours", adds the note.
"The airport, which will be built in 48 months by the contractor OEC, was designed by DAR, will be supervised by Triede Plano, COBA, BDM and Rodrisol, for the capacity to operate Boeing-777 and 737 flights, in addition to other aircraft of small, medium and large cargo and passengers", says the statement.
During the works, "there will be an opportunity" to create 1500 jobs (director and indirect), of which 95 percent will be national, with emphasis on youth "who will have local training through training programs as well as the promotion of partnership with local companies".
In addition, the development will also have a fire station, administration and police security, as well as parking for helicopters, a ground support building and a cargo terminal, the statement said.
The Minister of Transport, Ricardo Viegas D'Abreu – who was present at the ceremony, which was marked by the signature of the consignment note – said that the infrastructure is part of the National Master Plan for the sector, with a view to responding to the growing demand provincial air transport.
"This is a project that fits into the modernization of infrastructure in the transport sector at the level of the National Development Plan (PDN), with the aim of guaranteeing better and more adequate infrastructure to boost growth and development in particular of province of Cabinda," he said, quoted in the note.
The holder of the Transport portfolio also mentioned that the sector has carried out relevant undertakings and investments in the said province.
"Therefore, we feel that we are critically important to reduce Cabinda's isolation from the rest of the country and also ensure that the region can, with the future international airport, boost itself to the world and guarantee the strongest growth, development and sustainability of the own province and the peoples of the region," he added.
He also made it known that the ministry he leads "has decisive projects that will have a structural impact on what could be the potential for business opportunities in Cabinda, namely the Caio Deep Water Terminal – an infrastructure that will not only serve the province", read in the note.
Mara Quiosa, provincial governor of Cabinda, who also attended the ceremony, expressed, on behalf of the population, "(...) a very special thanks to the President of the Republic, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, for his direct and permanent commitment accompaniment of the whole process, which made it possible today, the laying of the first stone of the New International Airport of Cabinda".
On the occasion, the note adds, the governor also highlighted the "importance of building infrastructure in the province, responding to the demands and requests of the local populations".
