On Wednesday, a Qatar Airways cargo aircraft landed in Kigali carrying 100 tons of goods, marking the official launch of its cargo operations in Rwanda. The move represents a significant milestone toward expanding air freight routes across the continent and establishing Rwanda as a major cargo hub in Africa.
RwandAir CEO Yvonne Makolo expressed her appreciation for the strengthened partnership, noting that it will boost Rwanda’s role in regional and international trade.
“We are very proud to partner with Qatar Airways Cargo to launch the brand-new Kigali Cargo Hub, which will open up new cargo opportunities across Africa,” she said.
Qatar Airways Chief Officer Cargo, Guillaume Halleux, highlighted the importance of logistics growth to support Africa’s expanding economies.
“Our customers will benefit from both a reliable intra-African network through our Kigali hub and improved service delivery with cost efficiencies. We are proud to partner with RwandAir in establishing Kigali as the Central African hub in preparation for the next generation of air cargo on this fast-growing continent,” he added.
International business operators have welcomed the initiative, stating that it will support the expansion of export and import operations across the region. The partnership will initially serve 10 African countries, with additional destinations expected as demand increases.
The collaboration comes shortly after the arrival of RwandAir’s new cargo aircraft, which has already contributed to an increase in export volumes handled by overseas traders. With this joint effort, Kigali is set to become a strategic gateway connecting African markets to global supply chains.
