Namibia: Airport Road to Be Completed in 2024
The construction of the new freeway between Windhoek and the Hosea Kutako International Airport is expected to be concluded in 2024.
This is according to Roads Authority CEO Conrad Lutombi, who was speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony for the upgrading to dual carriageway standards of the road on Monday.
This is the third and last phase of the project, which will be financed through a grant from China to the Namibian government at approximately N$1.035 billion.
The phase commences at the Dordabis interchange and continues towards the Hosea Kutako International Airport, covering a distance of around 22 kilometres.
About 270 jobs will be created for Namibians during the construction period of this phase.
Works include the construction of the 21.3 kilometres of the dual-carriage freeway, three interchanges to be located at Dordabis, Sonnleiten and Hosea Kutako International Airport, and two river bridges and drainage structures.
Delivering his address, works minister John Mutorwa said the project is of great importance to the Namibian government, as it advances the objective of the country to become a logistics hub.
"Once complete, this dual carriageway will support the economy by allowing safe movement, and it will improve Namibia's investment environment, promote employment and provide a solid foundation for the socio-economic development of Namibia," said Mutorwa.
He further emphasised all the construction material will be purchased in Namibia for this phase; thus, the money will be left in Namibia.
This project will have ample opportunities for supplying and subcontracting specialised works for local small and medium enterprises as well as subcontractors.
At the same occasion, Yang Jun, Charge d'Affaires at the Chinese Embassy, said the two countries have come closer in political and economic terms: "More and more exchanges are being conducted even in the circumstances of Covid-19. In the past few years, China is the largest source of foreign direct investment in Namibia, and serves as the top market for Namibian exports".
Jun stated, in the past few years, over 20 China-aided projects have been completed or remain ongoing, which widely cover the areas of transport, agriculture, education, ecology, border control, public governance, housing, health care, meteorological surveillance, disaster relief and poverty alleviation.
He further noted China is working with the National Planning Commission to expedite the implementation of other grant projects such as the satellite data receiving ground station project, the upgrading and expansion of four schools in the north as well as the construction of social housing project in Grootfontein and Gobabis.
