Bishoftu Airport project sparks US-China competition in Ethiopia

The proposed $12.5 billion Bishoftu International Airport project in Ethiopia has emerged as a significant arena for geopolitical competition between the United States and China in the Horn of Africa. Designed to accommodate up to 110 million passengers annually with four runways, the facility aims to become the largest airport in Africa.

Ethiopia is pursuing a strategy of leveraging competition between major powers to secure capital, infrastructure, and technology without committing to a single side. While Chinese contractors are making significant inroads, the United States maintains a strong foothold in Ethiopia’s aviation sector through long-standing relationships with Ethiopian Airlines, Boeing, and GE Aerospace.

To compete, the U.S. is looking toward high-tech sectors such as aircraft, engines, air traffic management, and digital infrastructure. Financial institutions like the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and the Export-Import Bank of the United States have expressed interest, joining the African Development Bank, which has already committed $500 million to the project.