Bossaso, - The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, officially inaugurated the upgraded international airport of Bossaso, Puntland today.

Puntland President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali (Gaas) and several dignitaries, including Somalia’s development partners, witnessed the inauguration of Bender Qasim International Airport.

President Sheikh Mohamud said the airport’s inauguration was a major step forward for the country's development and an illustration of Somalia’s commitment to rebuilding key infrastructure.

“The great ceremony of unveiling the new, beautiful and modern airport in Bossaso is a developmental achievement for all Somali people and in particular for the people of Puntland. It is a very important project that will contribute to the development of Puntland. This coastal town is a commercial hub famous for export of livestock and other produce to the world as well as importing of various commodities to Somalia and neighboring countries,” President Sheikh Mohamud emphasized.

Puntland President Gaas said the upgraded airport would enhance Somalia’s capacity to handle increasing passenger and cargo traffic. The project was funded by the Italian Government, executed by the China Civil Engineering and Construction Company and supported by the United Nations Office for Project Services.

“We all know that infrastructures are very important for economic development,” said the Chinese Ambassador to Somalia Wei Hongtian in fluent Somali.

For his part, the Italian ambassador to Somalia, Fabrizio Marcelli, underlined the commercial potential of the third most populous city in Somalia.

“I hope soon we will inaugurate a bypass to transport merchandise easily to the Bossaso port. Bossaso is strategically located in the Gulf of Aden and we believe it can become an important regional commercial hub,” said Ambassador Marcelli.

Work on the airport began in December 2014 and included the construction of a new runway which is 2.4 kilometers in length, duty-free shops, a parking lot and expansion of immigration offices.

The airport, which is a major boost to Somalia’s aviation sector, is expected to connect Bossaso to the world and is likely to attract regional and international airlines.