Kigali International Airport is one of  the 17 airports identified by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) as a future aviation hub for Africa.

The process to harmonise Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority (RCAA)’s jurisdiction with that of the region will be complete this month, a top official has said.

According to the Director General of RCAA, Richard Masozera, RCAA is on track with the process of intergrating its, Civil Aviation Act and Civil Aviation Security, with those of the East African Community (EAC) partner states.

Talking to Bussiness Times at Kanombe Airport, Masozera said that a consultant was hired from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to work on the laws that will put RCAA on international standards.

The consultant was given templates of all the EAC  partner states and the draft law is a hybrid of EA partner states.

"We are in touch with our partners and the law has been validated on the level of EAC and the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA),” Masozera said.

"As far as regulations and the draft law we are at par with the partner states but, the biggest challenge which   is not unique to Rwanda is how to enforce them,” he adds.

After the harmonisation of EAC civil aviation regulations the bloc will set up the Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight Agency (CASSOA) that will be ratified in May this year.

Partner states will also consider revising air tariffs which are favourable to EAC citizens.

After the signing the protocol, it is expected that partner states will be able to share available resources in equitable manner, especially human resource.

Establisment of the agency will also boost regional investment and the inflow of tourists.

RCAA registered an increase in airport users from 240,000 in 2007 to 280,000 last year, a move that saw many airlines increase their flights. 

Kenya airways had a big jump from 7 to 20 flights per week. Rwandair’s frequency of flights to Entebbe has also increased from 7 to 11 flights per week, SN Brussels from 2 to 3 flights and Ethiopian from 5 to 7 flights per week, respectively.

As a projection for growth, RCAA will next month get a proposed budget from a British engineering company, TPS Consult, for the expansion of Kanombe International airport.

"Aviation can not be isolated from the country’s growing economy, as much as it depends on it, it can also contribute to its growth,” he said. 

Kigali International Airport is one of 17 airports identified by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) as a future aviation hub for Africa.

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