Chinese Government donates almost $100 million for Sao Tome International Airport Reconstruction Project (Linked to Record ID#55420)

Project narrative

On June 29, 2022, Hao Qinmei, the commercial counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Sao Tome and Principe, representing the Economic Cooperation Bureau of China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), and Elísio Vaz (Ilicio Vas), the Director of Research and Planning at Sao Tome and Principe's Ministry of Infrastructure and Natural Resources, signed a project implementation agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, MOFCOM agreed to donate nearly $100 million for the reconstruction of the Sao Tome International Airport. This financial commitment came after many pledges and agreements signed by Chinese and Sao Tome and Principe officials in previous years (as recorded via Record ID#55420). The modernization project aims to extend the runway from a length of 1800m to 2800m. 600m of this extension will be over sea due to territorial constraints. Construction is expected to begin in 2023. The project will also seek to take the airport off of the blacklist of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). China IPPR International Engineering Co., Ltd. is the EPC contractor responsible for project implementation.