Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba of Nepal inaugurated the Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA), Nepal’s second international airport. The opening was also marked by a successful landing of an international commercial flight.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) supported the Government of Nepal to build and upgrade the GBIA through the Asia Tourism Infrastructure Development Project, which is helping Bangladesh, India, and Nepal improve infrastructure and services in key tourism sites.

Total cost of the airport construction is $76.1 million, of which ADB contributed $37 million in loans and grants. The OPEC Fund for International Development contributed about $11 million in loans while the rest is funded by the Government of Nepal.

According to Mr. Deuba, the opening was a historic day for Nepal’s aviation and tourism sectors and will contribute to the country’s overall development and long-term prosperity. ADB Country Director for Nepal Arnaud Cauchois said "the airport will form a cornerstone of the country's overall development by facilitating tourism, expanding trade and economic activities, generating local employment opportunities, and improving international air transport access to migrant workers and people living in the nearby provinces."

The new airport can accommodate wide-body airplanes and features a 15,169-square-meter terminal building, a new 3,000-meter runway, and an advanced Instrument Landing System. The airport is 19 kilometers from Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha and a UNESCO World Heritage.

• Prime Minister Deuba Inaugurates Nepal’s Second International Airport