HRH Premier lays foundation stone for airport expansion project

Manama, Feb. 17 (BNA): Bahrain today launched a multi-million project to expand the Bahrain International Airport and increase its capacity to accommodate 14 million passengers a year. His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa laid the foundation stone for the new state-of-the-art building, in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister. The $ 1.1 billion-project, which is the largest in the history of civil aviation in Bahrain, is among the mega development projects, worth more than $ 32 billion, to be implemented in the kingdom within the coming years to boost the economic development efforts during the prosperous era of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, HRH Premier said, adding that the project will consolidate Bahrain's economic and tourism status and increase its competitive potentials as an outstanding hub for logistics services in the region. "We face economic challenges by launching more development projects that revitalise the national economy and reflect positively on our potentials to spur growth and diversify revenue sources," he said, stressing that no challenges will impede the government's tireless efforts to implement the citizen-oriented policies. The Bahrain International Airport Expansion is the outcome of the existing fruitful cooperation and complementarity between brotherly GCC countries, through the GCC Development Fund, HRH Premier said as he patronised, in the presence of HRH the Crown Prince, the inauguration ceremony of the landmark project. HRH the Prime Minister lauded the key role played by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince in supporting the government's efforts to consolidate Bahrain's resolve to carry on implementing development projects, including the infrastructure ones, in order to increase its ability to attract foreign investments and cope with the rapidly growing passenger and goods flow. HRH Premier asserted that the development and nation-building process will continue unabated in all sectors, particularly infrastructure, stressing that all potentials will be harnessed to boost efforts aimed at supporting the national economy and generating more job opportunities for the citizens. His Royal Highness the Prime Minister affirmed that the Bahrain International Airport Expansion Project serves the kingdom's policies which focus on attracting and promoting tourism and travel to the Kingdom as a tourism destination and a favourable strategic meeting point that links the regional and international markets. Transportation and Telecommunications Minister Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed delivered a statement during the ceremony. He extended sincere thanks and gratitude to HM King Hamad, HRH Premier, HRH Crown Prince and the Bahraini people marking the 15th Anniversary of the National Action Charter and the official inauguration of the milestone project. He asserted that openness has been a distinctive feature of Bahrain throughout history, as the best means to highlight and take advantage of its strategic location, which, he said, required developing infrastructure, especially in the logistics field. The airport expansion is within the strategic projects carried out by the government to serve its goals of diversifying the economy and enhancing its flexibility in order to be able to withstand all challenges created by the global economic situations, he said. It also meets the requirements of the progress boom currently witnessed by the kingdom under the leadership of His Majesty the King through the government, led by HRH Premier, he added. The minister pointed out that the project was among the fruits of the exemplary strategic cooperation among brotherly GCC states, reflected in the GCC Development Fund. While expressing pride in the key role played by the Bahrain International Airport over the past eight decades, the minister expressed hope that the airport would continue serving the national development march and delivering high-quality services. The ceremony featured a documentary film highlighting the history of civil aviation in the kingdom, details about the Bahrain International Airport Expansion Programme, as well as the landmark achievements attained by the kingdom during HM King Hamad's glorious era. HRH the Premier and HRH the Crown Prince then toured the photo gallery held on the occasion and were informed about the scale model of the new-look airport. HRH the Prime Minister and HRH the Crown Prince were presented with commemorative gifts by the Transportation and Telecommunications Minister. The airport expansion includes a new passenger terminal covering an area of 201,467sqm, making it four times the size of the existing terminal. It also features 24 air bridges, airport aprons, departure halls, check-in counters, passport control booths, security lanes, the Duty Free, jetty-served departure gates, passport control booths, e-Gates, baggage reclaim belts and car parks.