After a closure of more than 12 years, Libyan authorities officially resumed operations at Sirte Gulf International Airport on Saturday, following the completion of comprehensive maintenance and development works under the supervision of the Libyan National Development Agency.
The Director-General of the National Development Agency, Mahmud Elforjani, announced today, Saturday, the activation of the international code for the Gulf of Sirte Airport (SRX) for the first time in over a decade and a half, marking a historic achievement for the city.
This development is among the country’s ongoing efforts to recover from the aftermath of the 2011 uprising that steered the country into prolonged instability.
The airport welcomed first flights with the arrival of three passenger aircraft, two from Mediterranean Sky and Al-Buraq, and a third affiliated with Berniq Airways from Benina Airport in Benghazi.
The opening of the airport was held in the presence of the Director General of the Libya Development and Reconstruction Fund Belgasem Haftar, the Prime Minister of the eastern based Libyan Government Osama Hammad, a member of the House of Representatives for the city of Sirte Zayed Hadiya, and several officials and local leaders in the city of Sirte.
Belgasem Khalifa Haftar stressed that the opening of Sirte Gulf International Airport represents a qualitative step on the road to the reconstruction of Libya and the building of its institutions.
He said the project will contribute to revitalizing the economic, tourism and commercial movement in the central region, and open new horizons for local and international investment, in addition to its role in facilitating air transport and easing pressure on the rest of the airports in the country.
This achievement fulfills the dream of Sirte’s residents to have an international airport connecting the city to the rest of Libya and the world, highlighting the efforts to develop vital infrastructure and enhance national air traffic.
