Swaziland secures loan for highway to ‘unwanted’ new airport

Sugar estates will benefit
JAMES HALL
MBABANE – Swaziland’s government this week secured a R44 million loan from the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa to build a new highway connecting to a controversial new international Airport. The low interest loan (2.5% repayable over 18 years) may end up serving an airport located in the eastern wilderness that nobody wants, least of all air carriers. They have expressed no interest in moving from the current airport at the Matsapha Industrial Estate, centrally located outside the commercial hub Manzini. But the highway will be a boon to the sugar estates and sugar processing plants not far from the Sikhupe International Airport, which is scheduled to begin service next year. An antiquated and dangerous 30 year-old two-lane highway that is eastern Swaziland’s only road link to Mozambique would be replaced by the new road. Also benefiting would be a proposed industrial estate near the airport.