SPA, Aden

• Technical team visits Aden airport to study the extent of work required

A team of Saudi technical experts on Tuesday visited Aden International Airport as part of a redevelopment initiative for the site.

The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) team, headed by Ahmed Al-Medkhali, met with specialists to assess and study the extent of work required to upgrade the airport.

Al-Medkhali said an evaluation of the necessary technical and structural needs of the airport would include assessing buildings, facilities and the runway, in addition to inspecting lighting and runway equipment, existing navigation devices, and the arrival and departure lounges.

“We are here to assess the airport’s emergency requirements and reactivate it. We’re working to evaluate all requirements and needs, to study them, and recommend the necessary work to address those needs, as part of the work of the SDRPY to support the transport, airports and ports sector,” added Al-Medkhali.

The SDRPY recently completed the revamp of Al-Ghaida airport in Yemen’s Al-Mahra governorate and conducted successful air navigation systems tests and flight-testing procedures there in cooperation with internationally accredited companies.

The program helps to implement Yemeni airport safety plans by providing fully equipped ambulances and fire trucks fitted with the latest technology, in addition to ensuring compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) airport safety and firefighting requirements.

Separately, on Tuesday, SDRPY officials signed a number of contracts relating to a development project at the Baqah border post linking the Saada governorate to the Kingdom. The program was also behind the delivery of generators to the director of the post, Khalid Al-Omaisi, with the aim of improving its operational capabilities.

The SDRPY, supervised by Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Jaber, the Saudi ambassador to Yemen, not only gives financial aid for development in Yemen but also provides educational training and resources.

The program was established almost a year ago to work alongside the Yemeni government to devise and implement development projects in all areas affecting the daily lives of the Yemeni people, to facilitate recovery, create job opportunities, provide basic services and support the economy.