Japanese fund final phase of Uzbek airport development

Published: 12/23/1999

The final phase of the agreement between Uzbekistan and the Japan was signed recently with the Japanese Bank of Reconstruction agreeing to lend the Uzbek"s$ 28m for the next stage of reconstruction of three airports at Samarkand, Bukhara and Urgench . The funding is part of a larger $149 million package given by the Japanese Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund in 1996, which led to Japanese corporations Mitsubishi and Mitsui among others upgrading the landing system, lighting equipment and runways, completing the first staged in mid 1998. The second phase involving contractors Laing , Alarco and the Marubeni, was started in November of 1998, andinvolved the rebuilding of passenger terminals, the construction and equipping of ATC buildings and the construction of aprons and taxiways. The new investment will be used to fund the purchase of navigational and weather equipment in addition to a new electrical system for the airport. The refurbished airports are expected to open in mid 2000 and will give Uzbekistan four airports capable of handling heavy aircraft instead of only Tashkent at present.

Article ID: 1238