The Prime minister of Sao Tome and Principe, Patrice Trovoada, on Friday laid the foundation stone for work on renovation of the international airport of the capital, Sao Tome.
The project, estimated at US$7.0 million, is being financed by the Angolan oil company, Sonangol Holding. It is expected to be completed in seven months.
The project will involve extension and renovation of the airport, the acquisition of navigation equipment and other items needed for security and control of passengers and luggage.
The airport has been blacklisted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the minister of Civil Engineering, Carlos Nova, hopes the status would be restored at the end of the project.
Under terms of a 2008 agreement signed between Sonangol Holding and the Sao Tome government, the Angolan company would operate the airport for 30 years.
The chairman of the board of directors of Sonangol Holding, Baptista Sumbe, said several other projects signed by the two parties would soon be implemented.
The Sao Tome Prime minister, Patrice Trovoada, said he was convinced that at the end of work, the country will have an international airport “that meets the demands of the modern world as far as air traffic and security are concerned”.
He added that the development of the project would stimulate national economy and urged other foreign private companies to invest in Sao Tome and Principe
