By:Sharon Njeru
RwandAir anticipates that Qatar Airways will complete its acquisition of a significant stake in the central African airline as soon as next month, according to Yvonne Makolo, RwandAir’s chief executive, who spoke with the Financial Times.
“This process has been ongoing for nearly five years. We are now really at the final stage,” Makolo stated.
For the past five years, discussions between Qatar and Rwanda have centered on a deal that would see Qatar Airways acquire a 49% stake in RwandAir for an undisclosed amount, the Financial Times reported. Both Qatar Airways and RwandAir were unavailable for immediate comment outside of regular business hours.
Earlier this year, Qatar Airways CEO Badr Mohammed Al Meer mentioned that an investment in a southern African airline would be announced soon by Qatar Airways.
In 2019, Qatar Airways acquired a 60% stake in a new $1.3 billion international airport being constructed in Rwanda. Additionally, Qatar Airways has code-share agreements with several African airlines, including RwandAir.
Press Corp 