France has a permanent presence of 200 to 300 military personnel at Bangui's airport under the mandate of the Economic Community of Central African States.
Mr Cook, who has offered to pay a "substantial" sum of money to buy the runway and surrounding facilities, said the international business community looked on Sheffield's lack of an airport with "universal incredulity".
Gatwick managing director Paul Griffiths said the airport would seek "responsible growth" and any future development would be "sensitive to the local community".