November 17, 2021/ Socotra Online
Reporting and Photography: Mohamed Bin Muhaimid -Ibrahim Youssef
The Head of the Southern Transitional Council in Socotra Governorate, Raafat Al-Thaqali, the first deputy of the province, Raid Al-Juraibi, the deputy of the province, Brigadier General Saleh Ali, and the Director General of Socotra International Airport, Eng. Abdullah Jumaih, opened the airport’s external halls to receive and bid farewell to travelers, with the support of the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation.
The inauguration was attended by the staff of the First Marine Brigade, Brigadier General Mohsen Hassan, the Director General of Police, Brigadier Ali Muhammad Al-Diksmi, and the Chairman of the Executive Authority of the General Council of the people of the governorates of Mahra and Socotra in the governorate, Sheikh Mubarak Ali Qabalan, and the knowledgeable, sheikhs, and social and legal figures on the island.
The opening of the external halls came within the development plans of the airport carried out by the Khalifa Foundation to raise its technical readiness in accordance with international standards.
The opening of new airport terminals would contribute to reducing the crowding of recipients in the internal halls and organizing the reception and farewell process easier.
In the opening, the head of the local leadership of the Southern Transitional Council, Eng. Raafat Al-Thaqali, expressed his happiness for the opening of the building of the external waiting halls at Socotra International Airport to end the congestion on the internal airport halls. He pointed out that this is a mighty work and a fruitful giving by the brothers in the UAE who are credited, after God, in the development of the airport and providing it with modern equipment and devices that raised its status and rank globally.
Al-Thaqali extended his thanks and gratitude to the United Arab Emirates and the Khalifa Humanitarian Foundation for the efforts they are making for the development and stability of the island in all areas, including the airport, which was restored to a better and better condition.
The First Undersecretary of Socotra Governorate, Raid Al-Juraibi, said that the opening of the airport’s external halls today is an honorable work and a tangible achievement that reflects the development efforts undertaken by the UAE at the level of Socotra. He also added that the project was working to raise the airport’s capacity and transfer it to an advanced and better status and classification.
The Director General of Socotra International Airport, Eng. Abdullah Jumaih, said that the project represents a basic and important tributary to Socotra International Airport with lounges and a qualified waiting building, and this wonderfully relieves pressure on the airport terminals for incoming departures as well as the internal lounges. He expressed his thanks and appreciation to the UAE and Khalifa Foundation for what they offer of the ongoing development projects for the airport.
The Director-General of the Socotra Archipelago Police, Brigadier Ali Muhammad Al-Diksmi, confirmed that everyone is pleased today to open the external waiting hall building at Socotra International Airport, which adds its transport and tributary to the distinguished services provided at the airport to travelers and reflects the extent of development witnessed by the airport in light of the unlimited support provided by the Khalifa Business Foundation humanity.
The Chairman of the Executive Authority of the General Council of the people of the governorates of Al-Mahra and Socotra, Sheikh Mubarak Ali bin Qabalan, considered the opening of the external halls at Socotra Airport a pride and pride for all because of its impact on raising the airport’s services and making it one of the best airports in the country.