Another new airport for Africa with European involvement: Burkina Faso

CAPA has frequently reported on the difficulties many African governments face in trying to attract foreign investors and operators to their airports. The tide had started to turn with the deal to develop a new airport in Rwanda, which belatedly involved Qatar Airways.

Now of all places, Ouagadougou, the capital of the poor, landlocked country of Burkina Faso, will get a new airport. It will be partially financed and managed by two European organisations, the Meridiam fund and Marseille Provence Airport, which collectively have the experience to make it work and have committed to introduce European standard ESG principles to their management.

What exactly is in it for them isn't entirely clear. Tourists aren't going to be headed to Ouagadougou in droves any time soon.

But the country is rich in minerals and metals, especially gold, and with world economies teetering, access to gold again becomes highly desirable.