Angola opens new Luanda International Airport after long delay

Angolan President Joao Lourenco on Friday opened a long-delayed international airport outside the capital Luanda, with passenger flights scheduled to begin in early 2024.

The Dr. Antonio Agostinho Neto Airport, named after the nation’s first president and located 40 kilometers (25 miles) southeast of the city, was originally scheduled for completion in 2017.

It will initially open for cargo traffic before the commencement of domestic passenger flights in February, followed by international flights in June. It was projected to cost $5 billion — though the government has revised that down to $3.85 billion — and will be able to handle 15 million passengers a year.