How it works:
Terms and Conditions
– Visit Rwanda Designated a Founding and Host Partner;
RwandAir Becomes the League’s Inaugural Season Official Airline –
– Inaugural BAL Season Will Take Place May 16-30 at the Kigali Arena in Rwanda –
DAKAR, SENEGAL AND KIGALI, RWANDA, May 13, 2021 – The Basketball Africa League (BAL) and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) today announced a multiyear partnership that makes “Visit Rwanda” – the country’s marketing and tourism initiative – a Founding and Host Partner of the inaugural BAL season taking place May 16-30 in Kigali.
The partnership will showcase Rwanda as a world-class tourism and investment destination and highlight Africa’s growing sports industry. Games will be played at the Kigali Arena, and the Kigali Convention Centre will serve as the practice facility for all 12 BAL teams. Visit Rwanda will be showcased on BAL team uniforms, and the BAL and RDB will collaborate on youth development and social responsibility initiatives in Kigali during the season.
In addition, RwandAir, the country’s national carrier, will be the league’s Official Airline for the inaugural season and has facilitated travel to and from Kigali for select BAL teams and staff. RwandAir operates one of the youngest state-of-the-art fleets out of its Kigali hub. Earlier this year, RwandAir became the first African airline to vaccinate all staff and crew against COVID-19.
“As we set to tip off our league and make basketball history, teaming up with RDB and RwandAir reflects our belief that sports, and basketball in particular, can be an economic growth engine for the continent,” said BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall. “Rwanda is leading the way for tourism in Africa, and this partnership will highlight an African continent that is creative, vibrant and ready to tell its story.”
“We are thrilled to partner with the BAL as it gives us an invaluable opportunity to showcase the wonders of Rwanda,” said Rwanda Development Board CEO Clare Akamanzi. “As a Founding and Host Partner, we will reach millions of basketball fans from all around the world and promote Rwanda’s natural beauty, budding sports tourism, and conducive investment and business environment. Hosting the BAL in Rwanda is also a testament to Rwanda’s successful handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are pleased to welcome all the players and visitors to Rwanda for a safe and seamless experience.”
“As Rwanda’s national carrier, we’re honoured to be the official airline partner of the BAL,” said RwandAir CEO Yvonne Manzi Makolo. “We’re excited to play such a pivotal role in uniting teams across Africa for the inaugural season. In addition to vaccinating all RwandAir employees, we’ve implemented stringent health and safety protocols on board and at the airport. These measures mean that players and staff will have the highest level of reassurance and peace of mind on their journey to and from Kigali.”
Twelve teams from across the continent will compete in the inaugural BAL season. The Kigali Arena will host all 26 games of the competition, with the first BAL Finals taking place Sunday, May 30.
About Visit Rwanda
Visit Rwanda is the tourism-focused arm of the Rwanda Development Board, a government body responsible for fast-tracking Rwanda’s economic development by enabling private sector growth. Visit Rwanda has worked with local conservation, tourism, and development partners to generate tourism products that benefits not only inbound tourists, but also local communities and native flora and fauna. For more information on Visit Rwanda, visit www.visitrwanda.com, or find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
About RwandAir
Operating from Kigali, RwandAir is one of the world’s fastest growing airlines and operates one of the youngest state-of-the-art fleets on the African continent. With a reputation for delivering a premium service to all its customers, RwandAir operates 12 aircraft with an average age of just under six years. The airline currently offers services to 25 destinations across 21 countries throughout Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
About the BAL
The BAL, a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the NBA, is a new professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa. The BAL, which is headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, builds on the foundation of club competitions FIBA Regional Office Africa has organized in Africa and marks the NBA’s first collaboration to operate a league outside North America. Fans can follow the BAL @theBAL on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and register their interest in receiving more information at www.theBAL.com.
###
Contacts
Doreen Ingabire, Rwanda Development Board, doreen.ingabire@rdb.rw
Yvon Edoumou, Basketball Africa League, +221 77 637 3401, yedoumou@thebal.com
RwandAir, communications@rwandair.com
Kigali ─23 March, 2021. RwandAir is the first African airline to vaccinate all staff against Covid-19, which will position the carrier as one of the safest on the continent.
The airline began its vaccination rollout programme earlier this month targeting all staff and crew who received their first shot.
Non-airline staff at Kigali International Airport, the airline’s hub, have been vaccinated as well to ensure a safe and secure environment for all passengers.
The drive comes just after RwandAir announced it will be the first carrier in Africa to start trialling the IATA Travel Pass in April 2021 to enable the safe resumption of international travel.
Yvonne Manzi Makolo, CEO of RwandAir, said: “Rwanda’s rapid roll-out of the first consignment of vaccines to arrive in the country prioritized all frontline workers, including RwandAir’s staff and crew. The vaccination programme has been designed to ensure we provide a safe and secure environment for travellers, both in the air and on the ground.”
“We have carefully considered every customer touchpoint at Kigali International Airport and on board our aircraft, as the world resumes travelling in the post-Covid era.”
“We look forward to welcoming our customers back to RwandAir. As an airline, the health and safety of our customers and staff is our number one priority and we have been working hard to restore our customers’ confidence to fly.”
In addition to RwandAir staff and crew, the staff of other airlines operating at the Kigali International Airport also received their Covid-19 vaccinations at the same time.
For more information about RwandAir, please visit www.rwandair.com
ENDS
For further information, please contact: communications@rwandair.com
Notes to Editor:
About RwandAir
Operating from Kigali, with its hub at the heart of Africa, RwandAir is one of the world’s fastest growing airlines and operates one of the youngest state-of-the-art fleets on the African continent. With a reputation for delivering a premium service to all its customers, RwandAir operates 12 aircraft with an average age of just under six years. The airline currently offers services to 25 destinations across 21 countries throughout Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia
Kigali ─23 February, 2021. RwandAir will become the first African airline to trial IATA Travel Pass to enable safe and seamless international travel. The airline will begin a three-week trial in April for customers travelling between Kigali and Nairobi in Kenya.
IATA Travel Pass is a digital platform to help passengers easily and securely verify that they comply with COVID 19 test or vaccine travel requirements, in turn giving governments the confidence to reopen borders.
Developed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the trade association for the world’s airlines, the platform is designed to be incorporated into airlines’ own apps, so travellers by air easily understand what they need before they fly.
Yvonne Manzi Makolo, CEO of RwandAir, said: “RwandAir is proud to be the first African airline to trial IATA Travel Pass, which could reinforce all the health and safety measures and protocols which we have put in place to restore customer confidence to fly once more. We are incredibly proud to be part of IATA’s Industry Advisory Panel, to ensure we guide the technology development in a way that covers the unique requirements of our passenger profile.
“IATA’s innovative solution simplifies and digitally transmits the information required by countries and governments around the world into our airline systems, in a secure and efficient manner.
“Travel Pass will make it easy for our customers to resume flying – and just as easy for RwandAir, and airlines around the world, to accept them.
Alexandre de Juniac, IATA Director General and CEO, said: “RwandAir is showing its industry leadership in Africa by becoming the first airline on the continent to trial IATA Travel Pass. RwandAir has long used IATA products as the most reliable source of information on entry requirements. This trial will build on that history of working in partnership and takes us a step further in the context of COVID-19. IATA Travel Pass will give governments the confidence to re-open their borders knowing that arriving passengers are in full compliance with any testing or vaccination requirements.”
The trial app has a range of features, including a registry of testing centres and labs at the departure and/or arrival location which can conduct COVID-19 tests in accordance with the type of test required for the journey.”
RwandAir customers participating in the trial will create a ‘digital passport’ which verifies that their pre-travel COVID-19 test or vaccination meets the requirements of the destination they are travelling to.
They will also be able to safely and securely share their test and vaccination certificates with participating authorities and airlines around the world to ensure smooth and seamless travel.
For more information about RwandAir, please visit www.rwandair.com
ENDS
For further information, please contact: communications@rwandair.com
Notes to Editor:
About RwandAir
Operating from Kigali, with its hub at the heart of Africa, RwandAir is one of the world’s fastest growing airlines and operates one of the youngest state-of-the-art fleets on the African continent. With a reputation for delivering a premium service to all its customers, RwandAir operates 12 aircraft with an average age of just under six years. The airline currently offers services to 25 destinations across 21 countries throughout Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Kigali- January 28, 2021. RwandAir is set to launch a new route into Central Africa withflights to Bangui.
The launch of the new intra-African service to the Central African Republic is part of RwandAir’s recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as it opens up new markets and destinations.
The Kigali-based airline will fly to Bangui the capital of Central African Republic, twice a week from February 3 2021, with flights operating on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Tagged to the existing route to Douala in Cameroon, the flight will be operated by one of the airline’s existing Boeing 737 aircraft, offering customers a choice of seats in two cabins, Business Class and Economy Class.
Yvonne Manzi Makolo, RwandAir CEO, said: “The launch of our new twice-weekly service to Bangui will open up a new lucrative market for RwandAir and help stimulate trade in the region and beyond Africa”.“Thanks to RwandAir’s quick and easy connections via our Kigali hub, we believe this new route will strengthen the growing trade ties in Africa and bolster Rwanda’s growing economy. Customers will benefit from more choice, through our premium onboard service, and will fly in a safe and hygienic environment thanks to our world-class cleaning measures.”
Since August 1 2020, RwandAir has gradually resumed commercial flights across its global network, including most of its African routes, as well as some long-haul destinations such as London Heathrow, Brussels and Dubai.
To ensure the health and safety of its customers as its number one priority, RwandAir has also published a Five-Step Health & Safety Guide to provide for a clean and secure onboard experience.
Tickets for Bangui are now available for sale through rwandair.com, sales offices and travel agencies, and include complimentary travel insurance.
For further information, please contact: communications@rwandair.com
Due to the 24 hour curfew in Lagos state, our flight WB202/203 scheduled on 21st October has been cancelled. Affected passengers will be rebooked on the next available flight. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.