Senegal opens new airport

DIASS, Senegal — Senegal’s new international airport opened its runways Thursday as the West African country hopes to become a travel hub for the region.

Airport International Blaise-Diagne, which had faced more than 10 years of delays, is meant to anchor Senegal’s economic and tech centre. The airport has had mixed reviews with its location of more than 50 kilometres (31 miles) from the capital, Dakar. A connecting train service is still years from completion.

The airport, with an estimated cost of $575 million, is five times larger than the old one. It is expected to see three million passengers in its first year. The government is aiming for five million passengers in 2023 and 10 million in 2035.

A number of cities in West Africa are competing to be the region’s air hub including Lome, Togo, which is the base of operations for ASKY Airlines, and Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

Leopold Sedar Senghor international airport, located in the congested capital, was closed Thursday and handed over to Senegal’s military. Most airlines including Delta, Royal Air Maroc, TAP and others have confirmed they will switch over once the old airport closes.

The new airport is vital to Senegal’s growth, said Tidiane Tamba, spokesman for its management company Limak-Aibd-Summa.

“That’s our mission, to become the new hub of Africa,” Tamba told The Associated Press.

Though far from Dakar, the airport sits between the capital and beach towns that authorities hope will draw more tourism.

The capital accounts for about 55 per cent of Senegal’s GDP, according to the World Bank, and the airport is meant to spur economic growth in an area that remains largely farmland. An international conference centre and hotel have been constructed and a sports arena and housing are being built.