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Ethiopia’s $12.5 billion Bishoftu airport project sparks US-China bidding fight
Chinese state-owned firms account for about half of shortlisted bidders, while the White House is seeking US participation through future technology and equipment contracts.
Ethiopia’s new US$12.5 billion Bishoftu International Airport project is intensifying competition between the United States and China, with the development linked to a broader geopolitical rivalry, according to SCMP Economy. The airport is planned about 40 km southeast of Addis Ababa and is intended to function as a major hub for African trade and travel. SCMP Economy reports that the scramble for contracts has drawn international contractors, but Chinese state-owned enterprises and joint ventures make up roughly half of the shortlist. The coverage cites companies including China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation and China Road and Bridge Corporation as evidence of Beijing’s dominant position in Ethiopia’s infrastructure sector.
While major American construction firms missed out on the civil works shortlist, the White House is working to position US companies such as Boeing and GE to compete for future technology and equipment contracts, SCMP Economy adds. Mark Mitchell, deputy assistant secretary of commerce for the Middle East and Africa, said Washington is closely engaged in pushing for strong US participation.