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A weekly development news platform published by UrgeDevWire, produced by Urge Communications. Covering Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and the wider East African region.

Urge Development Brief Desk | East Africa. Urge- DevWire

ARUA, UGANDA — 19 June 2026

The African Development Bank Group's Board of Directors approved financing of 155.99 million euros on 19 June 2026 to upgrade Arua Airport in northwestern Uganda into an international-standard aviation facility under Phase 1 of the Uganda Airports Development Programme. The total programme cost stands at 157.76 million euros, with the African Development Bank providing a loan of 141.15 million euros and the African Development Fund contributing 14.84 million euros. The Government of Uganda will contribute 1.77 million euros in kind.

The airport, located approximately 450 kilometres from Kampala, is currently the second busiest in Uganda after Entebbe International Airport. Arua sits at the junction of Uganda's West Nile region and the borders with South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, positioning it as a cross-border trade gateway. The upgraded facility will include a 3.5-kilometre paved runway capable of accommodating aircraft such as the Boeing 777, a passenger terminal with annual capacity for 700,000 travellers, a cargo terminal designed to handle 25,000 tonnes per year, a new control tower, and modern safety systems. More than 500,000 residents of Arua City and District are expected to benefit directly, with the wider West Nile region, home to 3.3 million people, gaining improved transport links. The programme is projected to create approximately 500 direct construction jobs and more than 1,400 indirect jobs in tourism, agriculture, and trade. The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, under the oversight of the Ministry of Works and Transport, will implement the project.

Source: African Development Bank Group