Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visits the new international terminal at Almaty Airport, built with funding from the EDB
Almaty, 31 May 2024. Nikolai Podguzov, Chairman of the Eurasian Development Bank’s (EDB) Management Board, participated in a visit by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan, to the newly constructed international terminal at Almaty Airport. The EDB was among the project lenders in a syndicate with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the German Investment Corporation (DEG).
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received a briefing on the construction progress and toured the check-in, border and customs control areas as well as baggage services.
“Almaty International Airport is the nation’s largest air hub. Inbound tourism to the southern capital grows every year, with over 2 million people having visited the city in 2023. Two years ago, I participated in the time capsule laying ceremony on this site, and tomorrow the new terminal at Almaty International Airport will serve its first flights,” said the President of Kazakhstan.
Alp Er Tunga Ersoy, President of Almaty International Airport, highlighted that the terminal was built to meet seismic and fire safety requirements and can withstand a magnitude 10 earthquake. The terminal has a total floor area of 53,500 square metres and can handle an annual passenger traffic of 14 million people.
The new international terminal was originally scheduled to open in late summer 2024. However, due to rapidly increasing passenger traffic and to enhance passenger comfort, construction was expedited. The terminal will begin receiving its first flights shortly, with all international flights transferring to the new building during the first decade of June.
It was also announced that after all international flights transfer to the new building, the old terminal will be repurposed for domestic flights. It will also undergo renovations to make it fully compliant with international standards.
The President of Kazakhstan expressed his gratitude to TAV GROUP for constructing the terminal to international standards and thanked the syndicate of lenders – the EBRD, the IFC and the EDB – for this vital project for Almaty.
“The construction of a new international terminal and the modernisation of Almaty Airport is a significant initiative for the development of Kazakhstan’s transport sector, as it is the country’s largest air hub and part of an extensive international network of routes. We highly appreciate the trust and support of the Government of Kazakhstan and our partners – the EBRD, Germany’s DEG and the IFC. Together, we invested US $450 million. Even during its implementation, the project received international IJGlobal Awards in project finance, and I am confident it will receive many more accolades,” commented Nikolai Podguzov.
The agreement to finance the expansion and modernisation of Almaty International Airport by a syndicate of lenders was made in September 2021.
Additional Information:
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is a multilateral development bank investing in Eurasia. For more than 18 years, the Bank has worked to strengthen and expand economic ties and foster comprehensive development in its member countries. The EDB's charter capital totals US $7 billion. Its portfolio consists principally of projects with an integration effect in transport infrastructure, digital systems, green energy, agriculture, manufacturing and mechanical engineering. The Bank’s operations are guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals and ESG principles.