■ MOROCCO: Bombardier to participate at World Investment Conference in Marrakech.

Bombardier Aerospace, the Canadian aircraft and train manufacturer based in Montréal, has announced its participation in the first ever North African edition of the World Investment Conference, which runs from March 20 to 22, 2013 in Marrakech, Morocco. During the Global Leaders' Panel for Automotive and Aeronautics Industries, Ms. Souad Elmallem, Bombardier's Chief Country Representative for North Africa, will discuss the attractiveness of the North African market for foreign direct investment with other international industry leaders.

■ NIGERIA: NCAA grounds AeroContractors over ongoing industrial action.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has grounded AeroContractors (AJ) until a resolution to an ongoing strike by its staff has been found. A brief announcement appeared on the carrier's site yesterday evening claiming Aero would be back in the air today, but was quickly rescinded within an hour of publication.

■ KENYA: 540 Aviation's Don Smith claims fastjet's legal proceedings are a "breach of contract".

Don Smith, the owner of Five-Forty Aviation, who is currently embroiled in a lawsuit with fastjet PLC over ownership rights to to the Fly540 brand, says fastjet's move to initiate legal proceedings constitutes a breach of contract. 

■ LIBERIA: Delta partners with Liberian Ministry of Transport to develop GPS approach procedures for RIA.

US Carrier, Delta Air Lines is continuing to work closely with the Liberian Minister of Transport to develop and fine tune GPS Approach procedures to help improve the safety and reliability of aircraft operations at Monrovia's Roberts International Airport. As part of its ongoing commitment to Liberia and to the safety of its people, Delta has developed these GPS Approach procedures specifically for Liberia using U.S. Federal Aviation Administration standards. 

► SAUDI ARABIA: Air Cairo to start Alexandria & Assuit - Riyadh from late March.

After the successful 1 March launch of twice weekly Alexandria - Tripoli and once weekly Assuit - Tripoli flights, Egyptian LCC, Air Cairo (SM) has now announced the launch of direct flights from Alexandria and Assuit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, effective 25 March 2013. 

■ BURUNDI: Evrard Giswaswa, CEO of Air Burundi, arrested for alleged fraudulent activity.

The former Mayor of Bujumbura and current CEO of Air Burundi (8Y), Mr. Evrard Giswaswa, was on Monday 11 March arrested on charges of aiding and abetting fraudulent management and for interfering in investigations of a fire that broke out at Bujumbura's central market in late January. Since then, he has been imprisoned at Mpimba Prison in the Burundian capital awaiting trial.

■ DUBAI: Increase TAAG's flights to Dubai says UAE Foreign Minister.

The United Arab Emirates wants TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT) to boost its flights between Dubai and Luanda claiming that the increase would help stimulate trade.

► SENEGAL: Royal Air Maroc adds 3 extra weekly Casablanca - Dakar flights from April.

Moroccan national carrier Royal Air Maroc (AT) will from 10 April, boost its frequencies between Casablanca and Dakar, Senegal through the addition of 3 extra flights, bringing to 17 the number of weekly flights between the two cities.

■ GHANA: DVB Bank SE to advise Starbow on fleet renewal/selection process.

Ghana's Starbow Airlines (S9) and Germany's DVB Bank SE (“DVB”) have announced the signing of an agreement in which DVB will assist and advise Starbow on its fleet renewal and aircraft selection process.

► FRANCE: TACV Cabo Verde Airlines to start Marseille via Paris CDG from July.

Transportes Aéreos de Cabo Verde, TACV, the Cape Verdian flag carrier, is to start a once weekly Ilha do Sal - Paris CDG - Marseille - São Vicente (São Pedro Airport) flight using a Boeing 737-800 effective 2 July 2013.

► RÉUNION: Air Austral outlines its Summer 2013 timetable; added Paris CDG flights due in November.

La Réunion-based French carrier, Air Austral (UU), has outlined its planned Northern Summer 2013 timetable, which runs from 31 March to 26 October 2013, and which aims to optimize its flight schedule in order to help return the airline to break-even during the 2013/2014 Financial Year.

► SOMALIA: Yemenia and Ethiopian Airlines both looking into starting possible Mogadishu flights.

After recent bilateral trade visits by delegations from Yemen and Ethiopia, both Yemenia (IY) and Ethiopian Airlines (ET) have expressed their desire to start regular flights to the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Currently, Yemenia serves all major cities in the Horn of Africa - Djibouti, Asmara, Addis Ababa, Khartoum and Cairo - excepting Somalia.

■ RWANDA: Sudan, Rwanda sign Air Services Agreement.

At a ceremony held in Kigali this week, Rwanda and Sudan signed a five year bilateral cooperation agreement which included a Bilateral Air Service Agreement aimed at expanding air services between Kigali and Khartoum. Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Louise Mushikiwabo signed on behalf of Rwanda with Sudan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Almed Karti signing on behalf of the Republic of Sudan.

■ ZAMBIA: Government finalizing plans for launch of new national carrier - no mention of any possible ET tie up.

Zambian Minister of Transport and Communication, Christopher Yaluma, says the the Zambian Government has finalised plans to re-establish a national airline with proposals to be tabled before Cabinet and the relevant authorities for approval.

● NIGERIA: First ever Nigerian Business Aviation Conference set for May in Lagos.

Evergreen Apple Nigeria, the Lagos-based fully integrated Fixed-base operator (FBO) service provider is to hold Nigeria’s first ever dedicated Business Aviation conference - the Nigerian Business Aviation Conference, NBAC - at the prestigious Wheatbaker Hotel in Lagos on Tuesday, 7 May, 2013. 

■ TANZANIA: TCAA opens airport ground-handling sector up to more players.

Following a meeting of the Board of Directors in late February, the Tanzanian Civil Aviation Authority has reviewed and adjusted 2009 legislation governing the liberalisation of ground handling services, including aviation fuelling, in Tanzania. The changes affect airports in Dar Es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and Arusha.

■ ANGOLA: Plans for TAAG civil aviation academy in the pipeline: Carreira.

At a press conference held in Luanda last week to update the public on the airline's restructuring and reorientation program, Rui Carriera, the Executive Director of TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT), said the Angolan flag carrier intends to make staff training and skill development a priority in the coming years through the opening of a civil aviation academy. 

■■ ZIMBABWE: A new board in place, Air Zimbabwe now hunting for a new CEO.

[UPDATE 19 MARCH] After the appointment last month of Ozias Bvute and six other board members charged with reinvigorating the airline, Air Zimbabwe (UM) is now on the hunt for a new Chief Executive Officer to replace the incumbent, Innocent Mavhunga, who was appointed to the role temporarily following the surprise resignation of Peter Chikumba in late 2010.

► MAURITANIA: Military Tucano EMB-312F crashes near Aoujeft; 1 dead.

An Embraer Tucano EMB-312F military aircraft belonging to the Mauritanian National General Staff (Air Wing) crashed yesterday (Monday 18 March) morning at 10h50L whilst out on a test flight. The aircraft came down 7km south-east of Aoujeft, a desert town in the Adrar Region of western Mauritania, roughly 500 kilometers (300 miles) north-east of the capital, Nouakchott.

► TURKEY: Turkish Airlines boosts Lagos, Dar es Salaam ops from May.

Turkish Airlines (TK) is to boost its capacity and frequency between Istanbul and Lagos and Istanbul and Dar es Salaam. Changes will come into effect from late May.