The country’s demographic momentum continues to be fuelled by its youthful population, with young people under the age of 30 now accounting for 64.6%, more than 9.1 million Rwandans.
NISR announced the milestone on Friday, June 11, as Rwanda joins the world in marking World Population Day.
This year’s World Population Day theme, “Empowering young people to create the families they want in a fair and hopeful world,” resonates strongly with Rwanda’s current demographic landscape.
“Rwanda’s vibrant population, now 14.1 million, powered by its youth, is the greatest asset, driving the development, innovation, and resilience,” NISR said in a statement.
Steady growth over the years
Rwanda’s last national census in 2022 reported a population of 13.2 million, up from 10.5 million recorded in 2012. Over the ten-year period between the two censuses, Rwanda maintained an average annual growth rate of 2.6%.
Demographic projections also indicate important shifts ahead. While youth under 30 currently dominate the population, their share is expected to decrease to 54.3% by 2050, reflecting a maturing population.
Conversely, the working-age population (16–64 years) is rising, from 53.4% in 2012 to 56.0% in 2022, and is projected to hit 61.4% by mid-century.
World Population Day, commemorated every July 11, was established by the United Nations in 1989 to draw attention to global population trends and their impact on development and human well-being.
The day encourages dialogue around key population-related issues, including reproductive health, gender equality, and sustainable resource use.
The financing package is backed by an $84 million counter-guarantee from the African Trade & Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI), enabling the banks to provide larger guarantees beyond their usual limits.
BPR Bank Rwanda PLC led the financing effort as the Mandated Lead Arranger and Facility Agent on behalf of the consortium of banks, which also includes Bank of Kigali (BK), the Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD), and KCB Bank Kenya.
The project, jointly developed by the Governments of Rwanda and Qatar, is a flagship component of Rwanda’s Vision 2050, which aims to propel the country into upper-middle-income status by 2035 and high-income status by 2050.
The airport is expected to significantly enhance regional connectivity and logistics, aligning with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) goals of boosting intra-African trade.
Valued at over $2 billion, the airport is scheduled for completion by mid-2028. The guarantees issued by Rwandan banks, made possible through ATIDI’s de-risking solutions, will cover performance and advance payment obligations of the contractors, ensuring smooth project execution.
“ATIDI is proud to partner in Rwanda’s transformation and continental ambitions through this catalytic project,” said Manuel Moses, Chief Executive Officer of ATIDI. “The new airport is not just about infrastructure; it’s about unlocking regional value chains and ensuring Africa trades more with itself.”
Patience Mutesi, Managing Director of BPR Bank Rwanda Plc, said the bank is honoured to lead such a transformational financing effort.
“This collaboration with ATIDI and our partner banks reflects our firm commitment to financing national development priorities and enabling long-term value through strategic infrastructure.”
Rwanda, a founding member of ATIDI, continues to leverage the institution’s risk mitigation tools to unlock capital for critical sectors. ATIDI currently has a gross exposure of over $611 million in Rwanda, spanning agriculture, energy, construction, communication, and transport.
The New Bugesera International Airport is poised to become a major aviation hub in the region, expanding Rwanda’s capacity to handle growing passenger and cargo volumes while reinforcing its position as a gateway for trade and investment in Africa. Its first phase is designed to accommodate 7 million passengers annually, with a long-term vision to expand to 14 million passengers annually.
Initial drilling conducted on the HCK Project site revealed rich lithium deposits beneath the surface. One drill hole in particular, known as MWOG0002, reached a depth of 174.6 meters and uncovered a 6.9-meter section of lithium-bearing rock.
Within this section, a higher concentration was found, an impressive 3.2% lithium oxide, which is considered high-grade in the industry. The geological team also found thick sections of pegmatite rock, known to host lithium, with some layers measuring up to 80 meters in thickness.
This exploration only covered two of the twelve areas identified as potential lithium sites on the 2,750-hectare license in southern Rwanda. The fact that such promising results have already been achieved in such a small portion of the site has generated strong excitement about what may be found in the remaining zones.
In response to these early findings; Rio Tinto, which also operates in Rwanda, has confirmed that it will exercise its Stage 1 earn-in rights under the joint venture agreement. This means, the company will now own a 51% stake in the exploration license.
Moreover, Rio Tinto plans to invest further and can earn up to a 75% share by spending $7.5 million over the next three years. As part of this next phase, Aterian Plc will receive a $100,000 cash payment, and the two companies will continue to jointly manage the exploration process.
In a statement released on July 10, 2025, Simon Rollason, CEO of Aterian Plc, expressed enthusiasm about both the results and the partnership.
He emphasised that although the work is still in early stages, the thickness of the pegmatite layers and the quality of the lithium discovered so far are very encouraging.
“While further work is required to fully assess the project’s scale and continuity, these early indications provide a strong foundation to build upon as we advance our exploration activities in Rwanda,” Rollason noted.
The broader exploration effort began in August 2023 and included several phases of mapping, geochemical sampling, and geophysical surveys.
Drilling only recently began as a way to test whether early surface findings translated into deeper mineral deposits.
Aterian and Rio Tinto plan to release more updates as exploration continues. A detailed technical review is already underway to determine the best path forward, and decisions about the next phase of work are expected by the end of 2025.
Lithium was first reported in Rwanda in 2020. That same year, its global market value began to rise sharply. The price per ton increased from $44,090 in 2022 to $61,520 in 2023.
In August 2023, exploration efforts were intensified through an agreement signed between Aterian PLC, RIO Tinto Mining and Exploration Ltd, and Kinunga Mining Ltd.
Lithium is a valuable mineral used in the production of various technologies, including batteries for phones, computers, cameras, and more.
Before 2020, few people recognised the value of lithium, and its price was relatively low. In December 2020, one kilogram of lithium cost around $9 (about 9,000 Rwandan Francs), up from $20.5 per kilogram in January 2018.
Lithium prices dropped in 2020 due to an oversupply, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, 2021 was a breakthrough year for lithium traders, as prices soared by over 600%. By April 2021, the price reached $78,000 (over 78 million Rwandan Francs) per ton.
This price surge was driven largely by the increased production of electric vehicles, which require large, long-lasting batteries made from lithium.
In 2021 alone, 6.6 million electric vehicles were sold globally, double the number sold in 2020.
Experts in the mineral trade predict lithium will continue to be in high demand, as electric vehicle production continues to rise. By 2030, it is expected that more than 26 million electric vehicles will have been sold.
Currently, the leading exporters of lithium include Chile, China, the Netherlands, South Korea, Germany, and Belgium.
The GPI, compiled annually by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), is the world’s most comprehensive measure of global peacefulness. Now in its 19th edition, the 2025 report assessed 163 countries based on 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators, grouped into three key domains: societal safety and security, ongoing conflict, and militarisation. The index covers 99.7% of the world’s population.
In East Africa, Tanzania leads the region, ranking 73rd globally and 12th in Sub-Saharan Africa, closely followed by Rwanda (91st globally). Uganda ranks 113th, placing it ahead of Kenya at 127th, while South Sudan (156th) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (160th) remain the least safe countries in the region.
At the continental level, Mauritius (26th globally) retained its position as the most peaceful country in Sub-Saharan Africa. The DRC, South Sudan, and Sudan are among the least peaceful, reflecting the impact of prolonged instability and conflict.
Globally, Iceland remains the world’s most peaceful country, a title it has held since the index began in 2008. It is followed by Ireland, New Zealand, Austria, and Switzerland. At the bottom of the rankings are Russia (163rd), Sudan, DR Congo, Yemen, and Afghanistan, with ongoing wars and political turmoil continuing to drive insecurity in those nations.
{{Rwanda’s security record
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The GPI findings align closely with local sentiment. According to the 2024 Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) Citizen Report Card, security and public tranquillity scored the highest among governance pillars, with a citizen satisfaction rate of 93.82%. This continues to reflect the country’s investment in public safety, community policing, and post-genocide reconciliation efforts.
The 2025 GPI also sheds light on the economic cost of violence, which in 2024 was estimated at $19.97 trillion in purchasing-power parity (PPP), equivalent to 11.56% of global GDP, or $2,446 lost per person globally.
Military spending alone accounted for $9 trillion, representing 45% of the total economic impact of violence. In stark contrast, peacebuilding and peacekeeping efforts received only $47.2 billion, amounting to just 0.52% of global military expenditure.
Out of the 163 countries assessed in the 2025 index, 94 recorded a deterioration in their peace levels. Meanwhile, 66 showed improvement, and only one country remained unchanged.
Since the index’s inception in 2008, 17 out of the 23 indicators used to measure peace have worsened. The number of global conflicts has now reached its highest level since the Second World War, with 59 countries actively engaged in wars and 78 involved in cross-border conflicts.
For decades, attempts to shield the FDLR terrorist group from accountability have persisted. Even former DRC President Laurent-Désiré Kabila once promised to help the group overthrow the Rwandan government, hiding their presence from the international community.
But his efforts proved futile. The same strategy appears to be repeating itself today, with senior Congolese officials, such as the Minister of Foreign Trade and former North Kivu governor Julien Paluku, continuing to claim the group no longer exists.
Yet conflicting narratives from within the Congolese leadership undermine that stance. While some officials argue the FDLR is no longer active, others acknowledge its role in the violence plaguing eastern DRC.
Former Foreign Minister Christophe Lutundula often dismissed the group as a myth invented by Rwanda. However, in March 2024, he also admitted the government lacked information on the FDLR’s whereabouts, suggesting if any country had intelligence on their location, it should come forward to help eliminate them.
President Félix Tshisekedi, meanwhile, conceded that the FDLR still operates but downplayed its strength, calling it a group of elderly fighters with limited numbers. However, the spokesperson of the Congolese army, Maj Gen Sylvain Ekenge, contradicted this narrative in April 2024 by openly blaming the FDLR for much of the violence that has claimed millions of lives in eastern Congo over the past three decades.
Despite official denial, the FDLR itself has publicly acknowledged its presence in eastern DRC through statements signed by its leadership, including Lt Gen Victor Byiringiro and spokesperson Cure Ngoma. The group frames itself as a movement of Rwandan refugees seeking political rights, while rejecting accusations of violence. In early 2025, after the UN Security Council voted to disband the FDLR, the group criticized the resolution, portraying it as biased and a potential pretext for regional military intervention.
Rwanda has taken a firm stance on the matter. After welcoming thousands of returning refugees from DRC, it revoked refugee status. Many returned, except those suspected of links with the FDLR. The Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe, recently stated that no negotiations with the FDLR are possible, citing their role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Evidence of military cooperation between the DRC government and the FDLR has surfaced on multiple occasions, especially during the Congolese army’s struggles against the M23 rebel group.
Reports indicate that the FDLR received weapons, supplies, and financial support from the Congolese military. In one instance, an injured member of the FDLR’s elite unit, CRAP, was seen receiving medical treatment in Kinshasa after a clash with M23 fighters.
In November 2023, amid growing international pressure, then-Chief of the Congolese Armed Forces, Gen Christian Tshiwewe, ordered all units to cease collaboration with the FDLR. Yet, this directive had little effect, as reports later confirmed deeper cooperation between the two forces.
M23 offensives further exposed the reality on the ground. As the rebel group advanced across North Kivu, it captured dozens of FDLR fighters, including senior commanders such as Secretary General Brig Gen Ezechiel Gakwerere and Maj Gilbert Ndayambaje.
These combatants were later handed over to Rwanda. Many of those captured wore Congolese army uniforms and revealed their involvement in front-line operations against the M23, underscoring their integration into the national army’s ranks.
Over the past two decades, the UN Security Council has passed 20 resolutions affirming that the FDLR poses a serious threat to peace in the Great Lakes region and must be dismantled. A May 2025 report by UN experts confirmed that the group continues to operate in coordination with the Congolese military, effectively functioning as part of its command structure.
On June 27, 2025, Rwanda and the DRC, with support from the United States, signed a peace agreement. One of its key provisions calls for the dismantling of the FDLR within 90 days, alongside the removal of Rwanda’s security measures on its border.
Rwanda’s military spokesperson, Brig Gen Ronald Rwivanga, recently estimated the FDLR to have between 7,000 and 10,000 fighters, many of whom blend into civilian populations when under attack.
Despite years of denial and obfuscation, the DRC’s effort to hide the FDLR has been undone by evidence, testimonies, international reports, and the group’s own admissions.
Fairbanks was speaking on Saturday, July 5, at the Rwanda Convention 2025 in Dallas, Texas, a gathering of Rwandans in the diaspora attended by high-ranking officials, including Foreign Affairs Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe.
A central theme of his message was the contrast between dysfunctional and thriving value chains. Drawing from a personal experience in Colombia, Fairbanks illustrated how closed systems, lack of accountability, and absence of competition can stifle economic development.
“In Colombia,” he said, “everyone in the leather supply chain blamed someone else for failure, from the ranchers to the tanneries, until the blame landed on the cows themselves. They said, ‘We have dumb cows.’ That’s when I knew the problem wasn’t the cows, it was a broken system with no incentive to innovate or cooperate.”
In Rwanda, Fairbanks noted, the opposite is true. “We embrace competition as a positive force,” he said. “Even when we fail, we learn why we failed.”
He highlighted several key characteristics that have enabled Rwanda’s value chains to flourish. Among them is a spirit of healthy competition, where open market dynamics and clearly defined rules encourage innovation and raise the standard of quality across industries.
Fairbanks also pointed to the strength of cultural continuity, an enduring sense of shared identity among Rwandans, including those in the diaspora. This deep-rooted connection fosters strong bonds of trust and purpose, a phenomenon he described using political scientist Francis Fukuyama’s term, “spontaneous sociability.”
Another defining trait is collective accountability. In contrast to his Colombian case study, where stakeholders deflected blame at every level, Rwandans tend to confront challenges directly and take ownership of outcomes.
Finally, he emphasised the nation’s optimism and clarity of vision. Rwanda’s well-structured governance and unified national goals provide a roadmap that aligns stakeholders and drives coordinated progress.
“You pay your taxes better than most, you believe in the future, and you know where you’re going. That’s why Rwanda’s value chains are working—and why the future is so bright.”
He also commended the diaspora for preserving Rwandan culture, citing traditional games and shared experiences that kept communities connected across borders.
“Whether in Congo, Burundi, Uganda, or Brussels, Rwandans played the same games and ate the same food. That unity matters,” he said.
The Rwanda Convention in Dallas is a diaspora-led initiative aimed at strengthening ties between Rwandans abroad and their homeland, recognising the diaspora’s vital role in national development through investment, remittances, and knowledge exchange.
Speaking during a conversation with members of the press on Liberation Day, President Kagame shared personal and national insights, emphasising the sacrifices of the liberation struggle and Rwanda’s commitment to self-reliance.
“For me, at a personal level, it’s been a very tough but enjoyable journey,” the president said in his opening remarks.
He highlighted the significance of the struggle, noting, “This is the best thing one can do to be part of the many years of struggle to put things right for our country, for our people, for ourselves all together.”
When asked about the personal convictions that drove him to fight for Rwanda as part of the group of refugees who formed the Rwanda Patriotic Army, which liberated the country and ended the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, President Kagame offered a deep reflection on the challenges and rewards of the liberation struggle.
“The tough side was what was confronted and dealt with, being of such a magnitude that for the half-hearted, they would just collapse under the weight of its first day,” he said.
Yet, he found inspiration in the collective effort: “The enjoyable part… is understanding the story itself, where you are coming from and where you are going, and then finding yourself in the middle of it, being one among many to be looked up to… It gives a sense of pride, inspiration.”
Kagame paid tribute to those who sacrificed their lives, acknowledging the unexplainable nature of survival.
“I cannot account for why I’m still alive. I could have easily gone the way of the others who didn’t make it,” he admitted, adding, “We remember them. We honour them. We respect them for what we know they are associated with or they did when they were still there.”
He emphasized that the struggle’s purpose was to create a better future, stating, “What comes out in the end must reflect that difference between what you really fought against and what you are creating. They have to be different.”
The president also addressed Rwanda’s progress toward self-reliance, responding to a question about a 2012 speech where he criticised Western powers for scapegoating Rwanda.
“Rwanda has constantly been changing, but those powerful countries and how they see us or maybe see other Africans has really not changed,” Kagame said, asserting, “We don’t owe our living to anyone. Never will it happen again.”
“It’s not bragging. It’s an act of survival,” he declared, encapsulating the spirit of a nation forged through struggle and determination.
Responding to a journalist’s question about the implications of the recently signed agreement if the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) are not eliminated, Kagame delivered a firm message: “Rwanda will always do what it has to do when FDLR is along our border. There is no magic word here to be used by anybody.”
The agreement in question, reached in Washington, D.C., was signed between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on June 27, with the aim of addressing long-standing security concerns in the region.
A central provision of this deal is the elimination of the FDLR, a rebel group that has repeatedly launched attacks on Rwanda from Congolese territory and is known to have collaborated with the DRC government, particularly during its operations against the M23 rebel group.
President Kagame stressed that while the agreement was signed in Washington, its successful implementation lies solely in the hands of the two parties involved.
“We reached an agreement in Washington, D.C. But it is not up to Washington to implement it. It’s those who reached the agreement to actually implement what they agreed.”
He went on to express Rwanda’s commitment to fulfilling its part of the deal: “You will never find Rwanda at fault with implementing what we have agreed to do. You will never.”
However, he issued a clear warning that if the other party acts dishonestly or fails to uphold their commitments, Rwanda will respond accordingly: “But if we decide we are working with plays tricks and takes us back to the problem, then we deal with the problem like we have been dealing with it. There are no two ways about it.”
The President also placed the Rwanda-DRC conflict within a broader regional and internal political context.
He highlighted that in addition to the Washington deal, a parallel negotiation process is underway in Qatar, focusing on the DRC’s internal conflict involving the M23 and issues related to political representation and citizenship.
“There is another deal ongoing that concerns internal groups of Congo. AFC/M23 and the government… that is being discussed and brokered by Qatar.” Kagame noted, recalling his meeting with President Tshisekedi in Doha and underlining that these negotiations are also critical to achieving lasting peace.
For Kagame, the failure to eliminate the FDLR would mean the persistence of the threat Rwanda has long faced.
“If FDR is not dealt with and we have set out the way to deal with it in the agreement, then that means FDLR continues to be there and the problem continues to be there,” he noted.
The Head of State also reiterated that Rwanda would not hesitate to take necessary actions to defend its borders and people.
“We have this obligation and we have laid our case. And out of that, we have agreed to do a number of things to deal with and do it together with others. And we will do that.”
Speaking exclusively to IGIHE, Chief Commercial Officer Fouad Caunhye confirmed that the new aircraft will arrive in phases, with the A330 wide-body expected in August, followed by the two Boeing 737s by September.
“There’s number four coming before the end of the year,” said Caunhye. “We’re planning for our fourth wide-body Airbus to come around August, so the paperwork is being finalised now. But number four will not be the last one—nor is it sufficient to meet all our planned requirements.”
The new aircraft are expected to boost RwandAir’s available seat kilometres (ASK) by an additional 100 million, representing a 15–20% increase in capacity. Despite this growth, Caunhye noted it remains below the soaring market demand across Africa, which continues to outpace global trends.
The incoming Airbus A330 will be deployed mainly on the airline’s high-demand London Heathrow route, offering much-needed backup given the strict slot rules at the UK hub.
“Given the slot rules in London, it’s very tricky with three aircraft—when one goes down, we face challenges with our slots,” RwandAir CEO Yvonne Makolo told African Aerospace on the sidelines of the African Airlines Association’s 13th Aviation Stakeholders Convention held in Kigali in May.
The aircraft is also expected to reinforce RwandAir’s Lagos service, another key West African destination, as the carrier aims to deepen its regional connectivity while maintaining its growing international footprint.
The fleet expansion forms part of a broader strategy that follows RwandAir’s recognition as Best Regional Airline in Africa at the 2025 Skytrax Awards, received in June at the Paris Air Show.
The accolade, which CCO Caunhye described as “a testimony to the precision of all the bolts and cogs coming together,” reflects the airline’s progress in enhancing service quality and operational resilience.
Currently, RwandAir operates a fleet of 13 aircraft, including two A330-200s, one A330-300, six Boeing 737 Next Generation jets, two Bombardier CRJ900s, and two De Havilland Dash 8-400s.
The upcoming additions will not only boost seat capacity but also support RwandAir’s expanding network, as the airline positions Kigali as a strategic hub connecting East, West, and Southern Africa to key international gateways such as London, Paris, Doha, and Dubai.
Additionally, new routes to Mombasa and Zanzibar are expected by the end of 2025, with Jeddah planned for early 2026.
Beyond passenger traffic, RwandAir is also ramping up its cargo operations. The airline currently operates a Boeing 737 freighter and is exploring the acquisition of a wide-body cargo aircraft to transport Rwandan exports such as coffee and tea to markets in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Caunhye acknowledged the challenges of operating in Africa, including high operating costs, geopolitical disruptions, and limited profit margins on long-haul routes. Still, he expressed confidence that with fleet expansion, strategic partnerships, and the upcoming completion of Bugesera International Airport, RwandAir is well-positioned to become one of Africa’s leading carriers.
“We are not yet at full equilibrium,” he said. “But with sustained investment, an expanding network, and an empowered workforce, we’re building an airline that connects Rwanda to the world—and the world to Rwanda.”
Speaking in an exclusive interview with IGIHE, Chief Commercial Officer Fouad Caunhye expressed pride in the Skytrax accolade, calling it “a testimony to all the bits and pieces—the bolts and cogs—that come together with precision.”
He noted that the award, received at the iconic Air and Space Museum during the Paris Air Show on June 17, 2025, reflects not only RwandAir’s service excellence but also its strategic role in connecting Rwanda to global markets and promoting the national brand on the international stage.
“It’s a massive award that reflects on the country, the trust and confidence placed in us by the government of Rwanda and the authorities. Our team of just over a thousand employees combines to project a bridge that connects Rwanda to the world and the world to Rwanda,” said the CCO, who has been with RwandAir for the last six months.
“This links to verticals like tourism, economy, and corporate demand, ensuring the flows of commerce are maintained within the country and the outside world. It also allows the Rwanda brand to fly on our wings to the rest of the world,” he added.
The airline plans to maintain its momentum with an ambitious fleet expansion strategy. Caunhye confirmed the addition of a fourth Airbus A330 by August 2025, alongside two Boeing 737s scheduled to join the fleet in August and September.
The additional aircraft are expected to increase RwandAir’s available seat kilometres (ASK) by 15–20%. However, Caunhye noted that this still falls short of Africa’s rapidly growing demand, which continues to rise at 12–14% annually, well above the global average of 3–4%
New routes are also on the horizon, with Mombasa and Zanzibar slated for late 2025, and Jeddah expected in early 2026. These additions aim to strengthen RwandAir’s hub in Kigali, which is strategically positioned to connect East, West, and Southern Africa, as well as key European and Middle Eastern cities such as London, Paris, Doha, and Dubai.
“We’re far from achieving full balance,” Caunhye admitted, but the airline is strategically expanding to capture critical market share in a region where demand is robust but competition is fierce.
{{Navigating challenges in African aviation
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Operating in Africa presents unique challenges, from high operational costs to geopolitical disruptions. Caunhye highlighted the inverse relationship between flight duration and profitability: “The further you fly, the more reduced your margins.”
Unlike carriers in large domestic markets like the US or China, RwandAir relies heavily on long-haul routes, with its shortest flight to Nairobi or Entebbe lasting about 90 minutes. This increases fuel, crew, and maintenance costs, squeezing margins in a market where ticket prices are often 30-50% composed of non-airline costs like airport taxes and overflight fees.
Recent disruptions, such as the closure of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s airspace and Iran’s strike on a US base in Qatar, have tested RwandAir’s resilience. Caunhye emphasized the importance of rapid recovery, aiming to resolve disruptions within 24 hours to maintain passenger trust.
The airline is also adapting by strengthening East African networks and leveraging partnerships, such as with Qatar Airways, to expand reach without relying solely on its own fleet.
During the recent interview, Caunhye also revealed that financial sustainability remains a goal for RwandAir, which, like many state-owned African carriers, faces intense competition and escalating costs.
Caunhye acknowledged that the airline is “not yet at full equilibrium” but is on track to achieve it by doubling its fleet within five years.
This expansion aligns with the anticipated completion of the Bugesera International Airport, designed to handle 8-10 million passengers annually compared to the current Kigali airport’s 1-3 million.
“The new Kigali airport will be a game-changer,” Caunhye said, positioning RwandAir to compete with Africa’s leading aviation hubs.
{{Tapping the cargo market
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RwandAir is also eyeing Africa’s untapped cargo market. Operating a Boeing 737 freighter, the airline aims to transport Rwanda’s premium produce—coffee, tea, and other goods—to markets in China, India, the Middle East, and Europe. Plans for a widebody cargo aircraft capable of seven- to eight-hour flights are in discussion to ensure fresh delivery to global markets.
Additionally, the CCO noted that strategic partnerships, including those with Visit Rwanda and the Basketball Africa League (BAL), are boosting RwandAir’s growth while promoting Rwanda as a premium tourism destination.
“We contribute to their success, and they to ours,” Caunhye noted, highlighting the synergy with Rwanda’s hospitality and tourism sectors.
Caunhye also highlighted the airline’s continued investment in its workforce, including efforts to nurture future talent through its pilot cadet programme. He described the initiative as an opportunity for young Rwandans to become “ambassadors of this ambitious country,” instilled with a professional ethos poised to shape the future of aviation for generations to come.
Catch the full interview below to hear more from RwandAir’s CCO, Fouad Caunhye.
