Equatorial Guinea Marks National Day With Inauguration Of 5Th International Airport

Equatorial Guineamarked its Independence Day October 12 with the inauguration of a new airport, the President Obiang Nguema International Airport, located at Mongomeyen, in the mainland province of Wele-Nzas. This is the country's fifth international airport, designed to connect the nation's geographically isolated areas to the main population centers.

"This new international airport, the fifth in our country, is a new gateway to the Republic of Equatorial Guinea," said John Nko Mbula, Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, "and its opening marks a new milestone in the economic and social development of Equatorial Guinea."

President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo presided over the inauguration.

Minister of Civil Aviation Fausto Abeso Fuma, called the new airport the best equipped in all of Central Africa.

It has a runway 3,000 meters long that includes three turning loops, and it features an access road and new-generation navigation equipment. The runway can handle aircraft in the Boeing 747-400 class. The new airport took 72 months to complete and was fully funded by the Government of Equatorial Guinea, costing over 190 billion CFA francs.

It is one of many recent government initiatives intended to promote economic and infrastructure development throughout the region. In addition to the President Obiang Nguema International Airport, the government of Equatorial Guinea also supervised the development of the new AU headquarters in Addis Ababa as well as the tourism complex, Elik Melen, in Bata.