Sierra Leone cancels China-funded airport; Says it's "unnecessary"

The Sierra Leonean government says it has cancelled a $400m (3300m) contract with China to build a new airport.

The aviation minister, Kabineh Kallon, told the BBC the facility wasn't necessary and the current airport would be renovated instead.

The agreement was signed by the previous president, Ernest Bai Koroma, just a week before an election in March that swept his party from power.

At the time the World Bank and IMF opposed the deal, saying Sierra Leone could ill afford such an ambitious project due to its heavy debt burden.

The aviation minister said he didn't know whether there would be any financial implications as a result of cancelling the contract.