AeroTrail

Introduction.

As of April 28, 2025, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reaffirmed its commitment to the Cape Town Convention, a pivotal international treaty facilitating asset-based financing and leasing of aviation equipment. This recommitment involves the withdrawal of previous declarations under Articles 39, 40, 53, and 54, with the changes set to take effect on November 1, 2025. The DRC has also signed key OECD declarations and established an inter-ministerial team to oversee the implementation of the Convention’s provisions. These actions aim to align the DRC’s legal framework with international standards, thereby reducing leasing risks and attracting foreign investment.

African Aviation: Projections and Statistics.

Global air travel demand rose by 3.3% year-on-year in March 2025, according to International Air Transport Association (IATA). International travel led the growth at 4.9%, driven primarily by a strong 9.9% increase in the Asia-Pacific region. Domestic markets edged up by 0.9%, with India and Brazil recording the highest gains. However, overall capacity grew faster than demand at 5.3%, resulting in a slight dip in the global load factor to 80.7%. Africa saw a 3.3% increase in passenger demand with a regional load factor of 70.1%. Demand in the Middle East and North America dipped slightly due to seasonal factors, including Ramadan and broader economic uncertainty.

Air cargo demand also saw strong performance, rising 4.4% year-on-year in March—marking a historic high for the month. International cargo traffic jumped 5.5%, while global capacity rose by 4.3%. The growth was partly driven by pre-emptive shipments ahead of U.S. tariffs announced for April. Asia-Pacific led the surge with a 9.6% increase, followed by North America (+9.5%), Europe (+4.5%), and Latin America (+5.8%). In contrast, Africa saw a sharp 13.4% decline in demand despite a 10.5% capacity boost. The Europe–North America route was the busiest, growing 8.5%, while Africa–Asia traffic plummeted by 40.2%.

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