Ethiopia has signed an agreement for the design of a new four-runway airport. It will be the largest in Africa when construction is completed in 2029, said the CEO of state-owned Ethiopian Airlines on Friday (09).

Located near the town of Bishoftu, about 45 km from the capital Addis Ababa, the airport will be able to handle 100 million passengers a year and provide parking for 270 aircraft, Mesfin Tasew said at a press conference.

"It's a five-year project (that) will be finished in 2029. It will be the biggest in Africa," said Mesfin.

The first phase of construction will cost around six billion dollars. "There are companies interested in financing the project".

The ambitious project will be designed by Dubai-based engineering and consultancy firm Sidara, according to the company's chief operating officer, Tariq Al Qanni.

Plans to build the airport were first announced in 2018.

Mesfin said Addis Ababa's Bole International Airport, the current main hub of Africa's largest airline, will soon reach its capacity to handle 25 million passengers a year. (Reuters)