The Ministry of Finance has held consultations with a high-level delegation from the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), led by Director General of Asia Operations, Saud bin Ayed Al-Shammari, on the development of Velana International Airport (VIA).
According to the ministry, the latest developments on the progress of the VIA project, including the challenges faced in carrying out some of the work, were shared with the SFD delegation.
The Velana International Airport development project was launched on 6 April 2016, with the construction of the new terminal awarded to Saudi Bin Laden Group on 22 May 2016 — the new terminal, covering 78,000 square metres, is being developed to handle 7 million passengers annually.
Developed with the aim of solving current space constraints, the terminal will feature the most up-to-date facilities and will include aero boarding bridges as well as the latest in baggage handling systems. It will also include several food and beverage outlets, retail spaces, lounges and other essential and added value services.
SFD is one key external funding partner for the VIA development project. Others include the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) and Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED).