Afreximbank, Securiport sign $15m financing agreement for Juba Airport upgrade

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has signed a financing agreement with Securiport SUARL, Senegal, to provide Securiport with a $15-million term loan to finance the design, construction and commissioning of a civil aviation and immigration security system for the Juba International Airport in South Sudan. The facility, which was approved for five years, will assist South Sudan to modernize equipment and systems at the Juba International Airport, leveraging on future flows of airline fees.

Speaking during the signing ceremony at the Afreximbank Headquarters in Cairo on Thursday, Prof. Benedict Oramah, President of the Bank, highlighted the importance of transport links and logistics capabilities to land-linked countries, noting that they provided transport and other links critical to the growth of intra-regional trade. Prof. Oramah said that one of the Bank’s priorities was to improve trade carrying infrastructure in Africa in order to enhance flow of goods, services, investments and people.

He said that the project would support South Sudan’s development agenda and was in line with the objectives of the Single African Air Transport Market, the African Union project which seeks to integrate the African aviation industry and create a single market for air transport in Africa as a quick way of advancing the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Responding, Dr. Enrique Segura, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Securiport, LLC, who signed on behalf of the company, commended Afreximbank’s commitment to promoting intra-African trade. He extended appreciation to the leadership of the Bank for its commitment to driving the development of the continent and for supporting key intra-African trade players.

Securiport Senegal SUARL., which is incorporated in Senegal, is a subsidiary of Securiport LLC, Washington, D.C., and specializes in the design and implementation of civil aviation and immigration security services and in intelligent information management systems for governments using passenger biometric recognition and advanced technological solutions. Dr. Segura was joined by Federico Sanchez, Chief Finance Officer of Securiport LLC.