The Democratic Republic of Congo has banned all civil and state aircraft registered or based in Rwanda from entering its airspace, as reported by the state agency.
Congolese airport authorities issued an internal memo detailing the “official ban on overflying and landing within the Democratic Republic of the Congo for all civil and state aircraft registered in Rwanda or those registered elsewhere but based in Rwanda, due to the insecurity stemming from the armed conflict,” as stated by the Agence Congolaise de Presse on Tuesday.
This decision follows the resumption of fighting on Tuesday between M23 rebels and Congolese forces along the Lubero front in the eastern province of North Kivu in Congo.
The closure is anticipated to disrupt RwandAir’s international and regional routes significantly, given that the airline depends heavily on DRC airspace for its flights to Europe and Africa.
The flights affected include destinations in Europe (such as the United Kingdom, Belgium, Netherlands, and Turkey) and Africa (including Gabon, Cameroon, Central African Republic, and Nigeria).
The airline may need to take longer and more expensive alternative routes, which will impact its operational efficiency and the cost of tickets.
Aviation analysts indicate that the DRC’s action sends a strong political message that could have economic repercussions for Rwanda’s aviation sector, as RwandAir might find it challenging to stay competitively priced due to increased fuel expenses and extended flight durations.
According to the UN, since January 26, more than 3,000 individuals have lost their lives, 2,880 have been injured, and over 500,000 have been displaced, adding to the already existing 6.4 million internally displaced persons.
