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Brussels Airlines together with Italy’s Meridiana have been chosen to tender for 40 percent of Rwanda’s single airline and the proceeding should be through by the end of the year, said the carrier’s chief executive officer.

Rwandair Express CEO Manzi Kayihura said the two qualified out of five international carriers that had shown interest.

“We have just completed a bidders’ conference and the privatisation process should be completed by the close of the year, “Kailua told Reuters in an interview.

“We are not necessarily looking for the highest financial offer but a strategic partner who has a commitment to add value, expand the network and experience to grow the airline.”

An additional 40 percent of shares will be awarded to a local investor, he said, while the government will take possession 20 percent.

As well as operating internal flights, the five year old Rwandair Express flies daily to Kenya, Uganda and Burundi. It also flies to Tanzania and Johannesburg, South Africa, three times a week.

Landlocked Rwanda has immense plans to turn into a limelight for flights in Africa’s Great Lakes region, Kayihura uttered. “Any strategic partner must be able to advance this vision, and if we fail to get one in this round then we will wait.” This step will help to improve the quality of services offered on flights to Rwanda.

The Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has introduced new aviation rules that are applicable in a many of the Western airports.

A Part of the new aviation rules that were issued to the airport by International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), requires the flight passengers not to pack all liquids including water, gels, pastes and aerosols, in hand luggage. However, the rules also advise on the use of transparent polythene bags which were lately banned in the country.

CAA Director General, Joshua Mbaraga reported that the new aviation rules, devised as a security measure against terrorism, were adopted at Rwanda’s airports this month. “Yes, we have introduced new airport rules as issued by ICAO,” he said lately. The rules oblige passengers who desire to bring the abovementioned liquids in their hand baggage to place them in re-sealable transparent containers of certain proportions or polythene bags, that can carry materials of not more than one litre in capaciy. He supplemented that they were ready to implement the rules without compromising the prohibition on polythene bags

Superintendent of Police Egide Ruzigamanzi, the head of police at Kigali International Airport, said that the liquids are to be screened within the transparent packages, and passengers can place them back in their hand baggage after. However, some items like medication (carrying clear inscriptions) and baby foods are exempted from the requirement. Therefore, the Airport management requested for collaboration from passengers.