Uganda signs deal with UAE to build third international airport

BREAKING NEWSJune 23, 2024 at 5:32 PM UTC

TLDR

Uganda partners with UAE's Sharjah Chamber of Commerce to build new international airport near Kidepo National Park.
Construction to commence in August under oversight of Sharjah business body chairman Abdallah Sultan Al Owais.
Project details, including cost, not disclosed in statement from President Museveni's office.

Uganda has signed an agreement with a business association from the United Arab Emirates to construct a new international airport, according to a statement from President Yoweri Museveni’s office.

The UAE's Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry will oversee the construction of the airport, which will be located just outside Kidepo National Park in the northeast, near Uganda’s border with Kenya.

Construction is set to begin in August, as announced by Abdallah Sultan Al Owais, chairman of the Sharjah business body. The statement from Museveni’s office did not disclose the project's cost.

Key Takeaways

This will be Uganda’s third international airport and signifies the UAE’s expanding economic influence in the region, extending beyond its existing interests in renewable energy and oil and gas industries. The new airport is anticipated to boost tourism by attracting visitors to the 1,442-square-kilometer (557-square-mile) Kidepo National Park, renowned for its lions, giraffes, buffaloes, and other big game. President Yoweri Museveni, who witnessed the signing, described the agreement as “a sign of the deepening relations with our Gulf partners and another opportunity to cooperate in investment and trade” in a post on X.

Uganda

UAE

International Airport

Economy

Tourism

Travel

Tourism & Travel