Kigali, 07 February 2018: Rubavu Airport in the Western Province is set to be upgraded into a facility with a capacity to handle both domestic and international flights. The airport which is just a few miles away from Goma International Airport in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), will handle big planes like Boeing and Airbus.

Eng. Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye, State Minister in charge of Transport has revealed that the airport will be upgraded to have a two kilometers runaway long and 150 meters wide.

“We are planning to start expansion works with the next national budget opening in July. We need to make it regional airport that is able to receive both small and big airplanes such as Boeing and Airbus. We shall expand tracks from where planes take off,” he said.

He explained that they expect to have finalised construction works by 2021 and start to use it by receiving and flying big airplanes from inside the country and the region. Meanwhile, the compensation of properties in the space in which the airport will be expanded, officials have pledged that payment process will be completed by August.

Minister Uwihanganye said that Kigali International Airport will serve as home to an aviation center currently under plans.

Rubavu airport is currently receiving small planes only belonging to the national career, RwandAir.