• Rwanda ratifies 12 air service deals to boost RwandAir routes
• Agreements enable Fifth Freedom rights, expand international access
• Airline growth continues despite DRC airspace restrictions

Rwanda’s Parliament on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, ratified 12 air service agreements signed between 2022 and 2024 with Eswatini, Guinea, Georgia, Canada, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Oman, Poland, Suriname, France, and Zimbabwe, as part of efforts to expand the country’s regional and international air connections.

Most of the agreements include Fifth Freedom rights, allowing RwandAir to carry passengers and cargo between third countries. Others focus on operational safety standards and create new opportunities for route expansion for the state-owned carrier.

Expansion Amid Regional Tensions

The partnerships with several African nations come as RwandAir faces ongoing geopolitical tensions with neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which closed its airspace to Rwandan-registered aircraft. The restriction forced the airline to reroute several services, particularly to Central and West Africa, lengthening flight times and raising operational costs.

As part of its expansion strategy, RwandAir plans to increase its fleet from 14 to at least 21 aircraft by 2029 and more than double annual passenger traffic to 2.1 million. Beyond the airline itself, these strategic partnerships are expected to strengthen Rwanda’s air connectivity as the country pursues its goal of becoming a leading African aviation hub.

This ambition is also reflected in the ongoing construction of Bugesera International Airport, designed to handle nearly 14 million passengers annually once completed.

Henoc Dossa