Pres hails Noonu economic hub after UAE royal family linked airport expansion
The president said further discussions on the development of the airport are underway.
Development of N. Maafaru International Airport is being carried out by a company linked to the UAE royal family, and by the time the project is completed, the Noonu atoll region will become an economic hub, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said on Monday.
Maafaru airport, developed by the previous government under an Abu Dhabi Fund loan, has become one of the busiest airports after the Maldives' main Velana International Airport.
Speaking at a rally in Maafaru as part of his re-election campaign for the September 9 election, President Solih said that a company linked to the UAE royal family has proposed to expand the airport and carry out additional development works in the region.
The president said representatives of the company had met him and submitted proposals for expansion of the airport and the work has already begun.
"The airport will have the longest runway in the country," he said.
The president said further discussions on the development of the airport are underway. Asked about the negotiations, he said:
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Flights will arrive directly from Europe
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Tourism will be expanded; some islands have already been awarded to the company in exchange
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Talks have been held about establishing an airline
"It's linked to the royal family of Abu Dhabi, UAE. I am very confident that they will do it," he said.
"By the time the work is completed, it will become their hub as they say."
In December, MTCC was awarded a project to expand the runway of Maafaru airport and further develop the airport at a cost of $27.2 million (MVR 419.1 million).
The work to be carried out under the project includes:
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Land reclamation to expand the runway by 650 metres to cater to Boeing 777 aircraft
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Widening of taxiway
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Upgrading of AGL
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Upgrading of the power system
Maafaru airport:
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A 2,200-metre runway
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Can cater to Airbus A320 and Boeing 737
