Rwanda has ratified air services agreements with the United Kingdom and eight other countries, according to official publications this October 2026. The accord with the UK was signed in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, on 10 November 2025, with Rwanda's ambassador Prosper Higiro and the UK's Chief Air Services Negotiator Mark Bosly signing on behalf of their respective governments. Parliament approved the agreement through Law No. 051/2026 before President Paul Kagame ratified it through Presidential Order No. 064/01 of 9 September 2026. The other eight agreements cover Algeria, Azerbaijan, Botswana, Costa Rica, Guyana, Morocco, Senegal, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The UK agreement creates a formal legal structure for air services between the two nations. Airlines designated by either country can now operate scheduled passenger and cargo flights, including with stops in other countries. The accord allows carriers to set their own fares, flight frequencies and capacity without government approval, and to establish offices and transfer earnings abroad.
The agreement also provides exemptions from customs duties on aircraft, fuel and spare parts used in international air services, while establishing requirements for aviation safety and security. Rwanda's national carrier RwandAir has operated flights between Kigali and London for several years, moving its UK operations from Gatwick Airport to Heathrow in October 2020.
The agreements take effect only after both countries confirm through diplomatic notes that their domestic approval processes are complete. Rwanda's ratification completes only its own part of this procedure.