The US backing of a multibillion-dollar airport project in Ethiopia signals Washington’s commitment to maintaining strong ties with a key ally in the Horn of Africa, despite Ethiopia’s internal challenges.
The new airport marks President Donald Trump’s first major business deal in the region and underscores America’s bid to strengthen its presence along vital global trade and military routes.“We have a very longstanding relationship with America. From an interest perspective, I think Ethiopia is one of the biggest clients of Boeing in Africa,” said Mered Fikireyohannes, founder and CEO of Pragma Capital, an Ethiopia-based investment advisory firm.“Ethiopia is the largest country in the Horn of Africa, while its neighbours face serious security challenges. From this perspective, maintaining security through Ethiopia is both good and important.”US Senior Adviser for Africa Massad Boulos announced that Washington will support the construction of a new international airport after a September visit to Ethiopia. The airport will be built at Bishoftu, about 40km south of Addis Ababa, and could become Africa’s largest.
The $10 billion facility, supported by the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and other institutions, will span 34 square kilometres, handle international passenger and cargo traffic, and ease congestion at Bole International Airport.
The DFC resumed project considerations in Ethiopia in mid-2023 after a two-year hiatus. The agency, which replaced US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) in 2019, has a $60 billion lending capacity and a mandate to support US foreign policy aims, including countering Chinese and Russian influence in Africa. In 2020, it pledged to invest $5 billion in Ethiopia over three to five years, to support private sector reforms and counter China’s influence.
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