Rwanda and Qatar develop closer aviation ties with bilateral agreement

While full details of the agreements have not been released it is understood that the agreements involve strategic cooperation between Rwanda’s Aviation Travel and Logistics (ATL)—the company managing RwandAir—and Qatar Airways. ATL is also a 25% shareholder in the country’s new international hub airport at Bugasera..
The agreements came after a three day visit to Kigali by the Emir of Qatar, HH Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, as guests of Rwanda President Paul Kagame.
The Emir was accompanied by a delegation of senior government officials and business executives from the nation including the group CEO of Qatar Airways Akbar Al Baker.
The new Bugasera airport was due to have opened this year but reports from the majority shareholder - Mota-Engil Africa - said the project had stalled due to a mandatory redesign to account for greater than expected growth from the Rwandan national carrier Rwandair. There were also calls for more funding. A revised opening date of 2020 is also now likely to be pushed back.
At the Aviation Africa summit which was held in Kigali in February Al Baker praised the success of Rwandair and also talked about the need for competitive hub development.
The agreement to bolster aviation investments and cooperation could see Qatar becoming a major investor in the project, and stimulating growth for the airline.
So far, more than $130 million has reportedly been injected in the Bugasera project with the first phase of construction estimated to cost $418 million.

 The aviation accord is signed by Qatar Airways and ATL  in Kigali witnessed by the respective heads of state