■ NIGERIA: ECOWAS considering setting up an MRO facility in West Africa.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is carrying out feasibility studies for the possible construction of an aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility to serve the region, the organization's Regional Director in charge of Air Transport, Dr. Paul Antoine Marie Ganemtore, has said.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): New national carrier to début in June as Government moves to recertify all Congolese carriers under IATA supervision.

Justin Kalunga, the Democratic Republic of Congo's Minster of Transport, says a new national airline has already been white-papered and approved by his government with a new strategic partner set to be chosen in due course. The new airline, due to take delivery of its first aircraft in June, will replace the current quasi-defunct national carrier, LAC Lignes Aériennes Congolaises (4V). The move is one of the initiatives the Congolese are undertaking to ameliorate the country's poor aviation safety record and international image.

■ CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Bangui M'Poko International Airport to be upgraded and modernized from 2016 onwards.

Following years of neglect that have seen the degradation of its runways, taxiways and airport terminal, the Central African Republic's capital city Bangui's M'poko International Airport is to be upgraded to international standards after the Central African parliament's recent adoption of a bill establishing the Corporation for Airport Infrastructure Development in Central Africa (SODIAC), which is to oversee the project and various others.