Somaliland: President Silanyo Opens Refurbished Egal International Airport
Hargeisa, Aug 17, 2013 (SDN) —President Ahmed Silanyo officially opened the newly refurbished Hargeisa’s Egal International Airport and reassured of the Government developing various modes of transport so as to spur economic activities in the country. The president also expressed his delight at the beauty of the newly rehabilitated airport. President Silanyo particularly singled out air transport and the aviation sector as a strategic industry in the global economy because of its critical role of providing quick transportation of people and goods.
The President pointed out that the Government has put emphasis on the development of aviation infrastructure in the country.
“The government shall not sit in its laurels following the completion of developments within the airport but continue in other areas as that is the man given by the people” said president Silanyo as he promised enhanced activities to change the livelihoods of citizens.
Apart from accommodating bigger aircraft courtesy of an elongated runway the new look airport has also attained better air control and radar equipment.
The brief but colorful occasion was held at Egal International airport. In attendance were Vice-president, speakers of the two of House of Parliament, ministers and deputy ministers and residents from Hargeisa and beyond. The rehabilitation of the airport has been funded by the Kuwaiti government and implemented by a Chinese contractor.
Originally the airport was a small facility built during the colonial period, and then the Airport was expanded and modernized in the 1980s by the Siad Barre administration so as to accommodate larger aircraft and offer more flight destinations.
During the events leading up to the Civil War in the early 1990s, the airport’s infrastructure was significantly damaged. However, the facility was gradually rehabilitated over the next several years.
The airport was later renamed to Egal International Airport after the veteran politician Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal. Egal served as Somalia’s Prime Minister in the early 1960s during the country’s post-independence civilian administration, before later becoming the Somaliland’s second President.
SDN Hargeisa