■ DUBAI: Mercator signs up Algeria's Tassili and Ghana's Antrak for its Avantik PSS.

Mercator, the aviation IT solution provider, has signed up Algeria's Tassili Airlines (SF) and Ghana's Antrak Air (4O) to Avantik suite, a Passenger Services System (PSS) aimed at low cost and regional carriers.

■ GAMBIA: Government ratifies BASAs with Kenya, Saudi Arabia.

Gambia's parliament has moved to ratify two Bilateral Air Services Agreements (BASA); one with Kenya, paving the way for possible Kenya Airways flights (KQ) and the second, with Saudi Arabia.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Gigaba confirms Monwabisi Kalawe as new SAA boss.

Ending weeks of media speculation, South African Airways (SA) has confirmed Monwabisi Kalawe as the new CEO of the airline, replacing interim CEO and Mango boss, Nico Bezuidenhout.

► BURKINA FASO: See Pics of Tunisair's inaugural Ouagadougou flight, agency opening.

Tunisair (TU) held its inaugural flight to Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, on the morning of Monday 15 April. Flights will operate three times weekly with an occasional stop in Bamako. The route was meant to have been launched on 30 March.

► FRANCE: Nouvelair Tunisie plans Paris CDG from Djerba, Monastir and Tunis this Summer.

Tunisian private operator Nouvelair Tunisie (BJ), during Summer 2013, is to introduce a scheduled service to Paris CDG, from Djerba, Monastir and Tunis. The carrier operates 3 weekly flights each.

► DENMARK: Royal Air Maroc modifies its Berlin, Copenhagen schedules for May/June.

AirlineRoute writes that Royal Air Maroc (AT), will, from 03MAY13 to 07JUN13, combine its operation to Copenhagen and Berlin. The airline will operate a 1x weekly Casablanca – Copenhagen – Berlin – Casablanca service, and 2 weekly flights in the opposite direction. Both destinations retain 3 weekly flights, on board Boeing 737s

► NIGERIA: Dana Air resumes Port Harcourt flights from next week; confirms plans to acquire a 737.

Troubled Nigerian carrier, Dana Air (9J), has announced plans to resume flights from both Lagos and Abuja to the southern city of Port Harcourt on Monday, April 22, 2013. In addition the airline has reaffirmed plans to acquire B737 aircraft as part of its fleet renewal plans.

► TUNISIA: See Pics of Syphax's first A330 in the paint shop!

Tunisian private airline, Syphax Airlines (FS), has posted the first pictures of its first of two Airbus A330-200s (registry unconfirmed) due to join the airline's fleet in the next few weeks.

► RWANDA: Turkish Airlines Cargo to start dedicated cargo ops to Kigali from mid May.

As part of previously reported plans to enhance its presence in Africa through the opening of an additional 10 stations, Turkish Airlines Cargo (TK), says it will begin once weekly dedicated cargo flights to the Rwandan capital, Kigali, effective 13 May.

■ BRAZIL: Embraer looks to double its presence in Africa over next 20 years though this depends on the Yamassoukoro Decision being implemented.

Brazilian aircraft manufacturer, Embraer, is looking to double the number of its aircraft flying in Africa over the next 20 years, though this will largely depend on the  full implementation of  the Yamoussoukro Decision of 1999, whose objectives include the full-liberalization of the intra-African air transport market, free exercise of  first, second, third, fourth and fifth freedom rights for passenger and freight air services  by eligible airlines and ensuring fair competition on a  non-discriminatory basis while complying with international safety standards. Despite having been given a deadline of 2002 for implementation, the Decision still remains fanciful at best.

► ERITREA: Eritrean Airlines returns its A319 to Bulgaria's BH Air.

Eritrean Airlines (B8) has returned its only has returned their only Airbus A319-100 (MSN 3139 | LZ-AOA) to Bulgarian operator BH Air - Balkan Holidays Air (8H) from whom they leased the aircraft.

► RWANDA: (Pics) Rwandair's first B737-700NG touches down in Kigali.

Rwandair's first B737-700 (MSN: 30717 | 9XR-WJ) has finally arrived in Kigali where it is expected to commence operations between Kigali via Brazzaville and Libreville to Douala as well as to Johannesburg and Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International.

► LIBYA: Buraq Air B737-800 shot at during finals into Tripoli International.

A Buraq Air (UZ) 737 inbound from Benghazi with 150 passengers aboard, yesterday sustained "no major damage" from ground-based gunfire as it was on finals into Tripoli International Airport Reuters has reported. As a result, the Libyan private carrier has suspended all flights to Tripoli effective immediately.

► EQUATORIAL GUINEA: CEIBA to take delivery of three 737-800s within the next 12 months; hunting for more 777s.

Equatorial Guinean national carrier, CEIBA Intercontinental, (C2) has confirmed that it will take delivery of three Boeing 737-800 (as reported by us here) within the next 12 months, with plans to add further Boeing 777s to its current one as the fledgling airline begins to spread its proverbial wings.

► CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: World's last operational BAe Andover gets a new lease on life in the CAR (of all places).

Canada's West Wind Aviation (WEW) is set to take delivery of the world's last known operational BAe HS.780 Andover (SET 13 | TL-AEW) with the aircraft already reregistered in the Central African Republic.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: NAC certified to Gold BARS standard by FlightSafety Foundation.

South Africa's  National Airways Corporation has announced it has become the first aircraft operator in the world to receive Gold BARS status from the FlightSafety Foundation following the successful completion of three annual audits.

■ MALAWI: Government planning to build new international airport to replace Blantyre's Chileka.

The Malawian Government has announced plans to construct a new international airport in Blantyre, the country's economic hub, to replace the current Chileka International Airport. The project, amongst others, will form part of the country's ongoing economic recovery plan (ERP).

■ LIBYA: Libyan Airlines confident of resuming own EU flights in future as Afriqiyah's chances take a tumble.

Libyan Airlines (LN)'s ban on operating its own aircraft into the European Union could be lifted with a matter of weeks should the European Commission accept a final report submitted by the carrier. It could be a different case for sister airline Afriqiyah (8U) whose own efforts to be struck off the infamous No-Fly list suffered a set back on Friday after one of its flights to Paris was turned back due to incorrect paperwork.

● ETHIOPIA: IATA boss slams EU Black List as lacking transparency; calls on greater African governmental support for aviation.

During a seminar given in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa today to mark Aviation Day Africa, Tony Tyler, the Director General and CEO of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) slammed the EU No-Fly list as "lacking transparency" claiming they did nothing to improve safety as a whole. Tyler instead called on African governments to build stronger partnerships with industry to prioritize and promote aviation policies that will improve safety, develop a more competitive industry cost structure and advance liberalization.

► TANZANIA: fastjet suspends Kilimanjaro to Zanzibar, Mwanza just 4 weeks after their launch.

Tanzanian LCC, fastjet (FN) has announced it is temporarily suspending two of its routes between Kilimanjaro and Mwanza, and between Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar, effective immediately, due to what it calls "low demand during the rainy season."