A senior commerce official has said Washington seeks strong participation by American companies in building Ethiopia’s Bishoftu aviation hub
The US is pushing to secure a role for American companies in a $12.5 billion Ethiopian Airlines airport project. Washington is seeking greater commercial and infrastructure influence in Africa, where China now has a stronger presence.
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for the Middle East and Africa Mark Mitchell described Bishoftu International Airport as a “transformative” project during a virtual briefing in Addis Ababa on Wednesday.
“Across agencies… the Department of Commerce has closely engaged in pushing to secure strong United States participation,” he said after talks with Ethiopian Airlines officials.
Mitchell did not identify potential companies or contracts, but said US involvement could result in “more Boeing aircraft powered by GE Aerospace engines.” Ethiopian Airlines agreed in April to purchase six additional Boeing 787-9s.
Construction began in January about 40 km southeast of Addis Ababa. Ethiopian Airlines says the first phase will be completed in 2030 and handle 60 million passengers annually. Capacity is expected to reach 110 million when fully developed, making it Africa’s largest airport.
The project is intended to accommodate the state-owned carrier’s rapid expansion. Ethiopian Airlines reported a 20% increase in revenue to a record $9.1 billion in the 2025-2026 fiscal year, according to the Ethiopian News Agency. It transported 20.7 million passengers and added nine aircraft and four international routes. The carrier now operates more than 170 planes and serves 150 international destinations.
Under a financing mandate signed last August, the African Development Bank plans to provide a $500 million loan and lead efforts to mobilize $8.7 billion for Bishoftu.
The US initiative comes as Washington competes with Beijing for trade, technology, and infrastructure cooperation in Africa. Ethiopian business newspaper Addis Fortune reported in January that China Communications Construction Company and Beijing Urban Construction Group were conducting initial site clearing and groundwork at Bishoftu.
Ethiopian Airlines has separately confirmed on its website that several Chinese firms and joint ventures were shortlisted to bid for the airport’s main construction and infrastructure packages.
The push comes despite lingering trade tensions. Ethiopia remains excluded from the US African Growth and Opportunity Act program after Washington suspended its eligibility in 2022, citing human rights violations during the conflict in northern Ethiopia.
