President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated the expansion of Maafaru International Airport will continue this year as planned.
The President made the statement while responding to a question posed at an event held as part of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s campaign for the upcoming local council elections.
President Solih said Maafaru International Airport is an important establishment for the northern atolls of the Maldives, highlighting the increasing domestic and international flight operations at the airport. In this regard, he noted 178 international jets have already landed in Maafaru in the first two months of this year, resembling the need to expand the airport.
The President revealed the expansion project has been approved by the Abu Dhabhi Fund for Development (ADFD) and has been opened for tender until April 5. He said the runway expansion will be followed by expansion of the terminal and establishment of a fuel farm at the airport.
Maafaru International Airport was opened for scheduled flights on January 1, 2020. The airport was built from a grant of USD 60 million provided by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD). The airport has a 2,200-metre-long and a 40-metre wide runway and is designed to handle the largest aircraft in operation including the Airbus A380 super jumbo jets.