BUJUMBURA, June 29 (Xinhua) -- As darkness settles over the shores of Lake Tanganyika, the runway at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport in Bujumbura, the economic capital of Burundi, comes alive with the glow of floodlights and the rumble of heavy machinery.
Pavers, milling machines, and steamrollers move in carefully coordinated formation across the tarmac as Chinese and Burundian engineers and workers labor through the night, laying a new asphalt concrete surface.
The bustling nighttime scene marks another step forward in the China-aided rehabilitation, expansion, and modernization project of Melchior Ndadaye International Airport.
Undertaken by Shanghai Baoye Group Corp., Ltd., the project has become a flagship example of practical cooperation between China and Burundi, promising to strengthen the country's transport infrastructure, boost economic development, and enhance its links with the outside world.
"Burundi is a landlocked country and Melchior Ndadaye International Airport is the only air gateway connecting the country to the world," said Yu Baoliang, head of the project management team.
According to Yu, before construction began, the airport's aging facilities and deteriorating runway had become a bottleneck for the country's aviation sector, limiting its capacity to support Burundi's growing economic and social development needs.
To address these challenges, the Chinese-aided project officially began in 2024. It includes the rehabilitation of the existing runways, taxiways, and aprons, the construction of turning pads, blast pads, and paved shoulders, as well as a new air traffic control tower and an administration building.
Yet upgrading the country's only international airport has required far more than engineering expertise.
The project team had to overcome a series of challenges, including shortages of construction materials, unstable electricity supplies, malaria outbreaks, and the constant need to accommodate scheduled flights.
"One of the most significant challenges was carrying out the work without interrupting air traffic," said Liu Wei, head of the project's technical mission.
"This project marks the first large-scale implementation of construction work carried out without interrupting air traffic in China-aided overseas airport projects," Liu said. "It is both a test of construction precision and a challenge in terms of organizational capacity."
To ensure uninterrupted airport operations, the project team follows a meticulously planned construction schedule. Work on the new control tower and air traffic control administration building is carried out during the day, while construction on the runway and other airside facilities takes place overnight.
In a letter of appreciation, the Burundi Civil Aviation Authority commended the Chinese company for overcoming complex challenges through rigorous site management and effective coordination, ensuring both steady construction progress and the safety of airport operations.
As the airport undergoes a remarkable transformation, anticipation is building up among locals, including 28-year-old Harris Arakaza.
A former Chinese-language student at the Confucius Institute of the University of Burundi, he joined the project in 2024 and now works as a translator and administrative coordinator.
"We are eagerly awaiting the completion of this project with great enthusiasm, because it will bring us many benefits here in Burundi," he said.
