The Rwandan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Yamina Karitanyi, has said that ties between the two countries are set to even grow stronger with the introduction of direct flights facilitated by the national carrier, RwandAir.

Karitanyi was speaking on Monday at a special event to celebrate the launch of RwandAir’s London-Kigali route and to showcase Rwanda’s tourism offering.

Guests included influential travel and tourism journalists, editors, PR professionals, as well as officials from Airbus and the UK Government.

Karitanyi said that the two countries have great expectations from RwandAir’s direct flight service to strengthen tourism, trade, investment and cultural exchanges with the UK.

RwandAir’s Deputy CEO for Corporate Affairs, Yvonne Makolo said that the airline is still in the process of expanding beyond its 22 destinations in Africa to include Brussels and New York.

The airline launched its first flight to the United Kingdom through Gatwick International Airport on May 31, marking the first time the airline had made a commercial flight to any European country.

Airbus’ Senior Vice-President for Sub-Saharan Africa, Hadi Akoum noted that the cabin of RwandAir’s Airbus A300 and A330 is the most advanced cabin flown in Africa, Europe and the Middle-East.

Akoum added that Airbus is very proud of Rwanda and RwandAir for setting the example for the rest of Africa and should be supported.

The high commission had ealier convened at the Camden Centre in London an event to celebrate the 23rd Anniversary of the Liberation of Rwanda, which attracted over 4o0 guests and during which RwandAir’s direct flights to London was celebrated.

According to available statistics, British travellers make up the largest number of visitors to Rwanda, which welcomed 1.3 million people last year.