The Ministry of Works and Transport has provided an update on the ongoing upgrade of Arua Aerodrome into an international airport.
In a bid to boost international trade and tourism, Uganda has embarked on developing more infrastructure, like airports, to enable easy movement of people and goods.
Against that backdrop, in 2023, the Ministry of Works and Transport embarked on upgrading the Arua Aerodrome to an international airport, a project that President Yoweri Museveni gave the green light to in a meeting with East of Eden (U) Ltd that was held at State House Entebbe in October 2023. East of Eden is the company that was contracted to upgrade the West Nile-based aerodrome.
During the meeting, the President explained that Arua is strategically located since it borders South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the presence of an upgraded airport will boost business in the area.
“You are in the right place at the right time because there are a lot of goldmines in Congo and even in South Sudan to some extent, but because of instability, people there always use Arua as a safe haven where they can come. You will get a lot of traffic there. It will also help people who are moving internally from here to Arua,” he assured the investors.
According to the Ministry of Works and Transport, works are currently ongoing for the reconstruction of interim taxiways and car parks as part of the upgrading process.
Arua Airport is one of the busiest domestic airports in the country, having recorded a monthly average of 170 air traffic movements and 12,000 passengers prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. This has been attributed to its strategic location in the tri-state border of Uganda, the DRC, and South Sudan, making it a key infrastructure for cross border trade.
