China signs MOU with Sierra Leone to build New Koya City and Airport

Sketch of the proposed Mamammah Airport

On March 1st, 2018, President Ernest Bai Koroma will also simultaneously commission a private sector study of the New Koya City Aerotropolis (Airport City) and Economic Zone by Henan Guoji Industries and China Railway International Group of China.

The simultaneous construction of the new Mamammah Airport and the New Koya City development project will pave the way for the expansion and decongestion of Freetown following lessons learnt from the recent mudslide disaster and the resulting loss of lives and displacement of thousands of Sierra Leoneans.

Following the conclusion of the signing of the contract and loan agreements for the construction of the Mamammah International Airport between the government of Sierra Leone and China Railway International Group and China Exim Bank respectively in Beijing on Thursday 8th February, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Transport and Aviation Leonard, Balogun Koroma, Friday 9th February, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Mr. Mingzheng Xu, Chairman of Henan Guoji Industry group of China for the development of the New Koya City Aerotropolis and the New Koya Economic Development Zone for Free Trade and Manufacturing.

Sierra Leone’s Transport Minister, Leonard Balogun Koroma and Mingzheng Xu , Chairman of Henan Guoji Industry group of China

The MOU will give Henan Guoji Industries and two other companies, the mandate to conduct quick feasibility studies to develop a New Koya City model and a Koya Economic zone model by the private sector for approval by government.