Qatar-led Consortium Signs on for $4B Rebuild and Expansion of Damascus Airport

In a transfer to carry a lot wanted funding to Syria, the Normal Authority of Civil Aviation has signed a $4-billion contract with a Qatar-led consortium to reconstruct and refurbish Damascus Worldwide Airport, together with a brand new five-star lodge.

Qatar’s UCC Holding leads the consortium that features subsidiary Urbacon Concessions Funding, New York Metropolis-based Belongings Investments USA LLC and Turkish development corporations Cengiz Insaat Sanayi ve Ticaret AS and Kalyon Insaat Sanayi ve Ticaret AS. The contract is a long-term build-own-operate settlement to rebuild and develop the airport and amenities via a number of phases that can in the end serve 31 million passengers a 12 months, in accordance with an announcement launched by UCC Holding. The masterplan for the airport, together with terminals, runways, hangers and lodge, was drawn up by London-based Zaha Hadid Architects.

The airport contract follows a current settlement between the Syrian authorities and UCC Holding enabling Urbacon Holding to construct and function eight energy technology stations all through Syria with a complete capability of 5,000 MW.

Work on Terminal 2 and the five-star airport lodge are already underway, in accordance with UCC. The refurbished trendy airport could have a big affect on Syria’s struggling efforts to rebuild its financial system and set the war-ravaged nation among the many worldwide group. its builders say.

It has been just one 12 months since Bashir al-Assad was overthrown as dictator of Syria and the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, as soon as allied with Al Qaeda, seized the capitol of Damascus and declared a transitional authorities. The brand new regime’s efforts have led to the easing of sanctions by the U.S., the EU and the UK, and widening, if cautious, worldwide assist for financial growth.

Inside that point, the brand new interim President, Ahmad al-Sharaa, has promised to implement political and financial reforms. Though some insurgent teams proceed to battle with one another, the brand new authorities and the Israel Protection Forces, some political and financial progress has been made towards rebuilding a rustic destroyed by 13 years of civil battle. Syria faces huge challenges, however is receiving worldwide assist.

Assad’s ouster led to the reentry of Syria to the Arab fold and pledges by different nations to assist the brand new authorities and supply cash for funding and infrastructure. In current months Syria has signed paperwork pertaining to not less than 12 funding agreements price $14 billion for infrastructure initiatives.

Signing the contracts for a brand new airport “constitutes a strategic step towards rebuilding Syria’s air gateway, strengthening the nationwide financial system and opening new funding and employment alternatives,” mentioned Omar al-Hosari, new civil aviation authority head, mentioned. He’s the founder and CEO of Dubai-based UAS Journey Help. Hosari mentioned on X that he would work to make aviation a strategic sector that will function Syria’s gateway to the world.

A Lengthy Overdue Growth

The $40 billion airport price ticket is the most important funding that Syria has ever seen. The power  could have a world-class architectural design that displays the distinctive identification and spirit of Damascus, officers mentioned, Spain-based HESCO Hammada Engineering Providers will present detailed design and rehabilitation for Terminals 1 and a pair of, in addition to design for Terminal 3 and its amenities.   

The masterplan requires a renewed passenger terminal at Terminal 2 to be in operation by mid-2026. Terminal 1 is scheduled to be redesigned with up to date inside and repair amenities and function by the tip of 2026. These will increase airport preliminary capability to six million individuals yearly.  The completion of section one among Terminal 3 will enhance the airport’s yearly capability to 16 million individuals, though this section is predicted to take a number of years to finish.

Terminal 3 will incorporate superior operation amenities together with 32 gates with trendy boarding bridges and a duty-free zone. Upon completion, 31 million individuals will have the ability to use the airport over the course of a 12 months. The airport challenge is predicted to create greater than 90,000 direct and oblique job alternatives throughout varied levels of development and growth. 

The challenge additionally features a $250 million financing program for brand new plane.

A number of different corporations may also participate within the challenge together with Dar al-Handasah of Lebanon which is offering challenge administration companies, design overview, website supervision and schedule verification. DG Jones and Companions, additionally primarily based in Lebanon, is offering contract administration, price management and amount surveying.

An announcement issued by authorized advisor White & Case on Dec. 4 known as the challenge an ‘impactful funding in Syria.” Charbel Abou Charaf, chief of the negotiating crew, mentioned the contract “highlights the main target of overseas buyers on Syria, this time in a sector which is significant for regional and worldwide connectivity.” White & Case mentioned the deal’s construction required growth of a multi-phase concession framework,