► EQUATORIAL GUINEA: (Pics) Punto Azul's first ERJ145 touches down in Malabo - domestic ops to follow.

The first Embraer ERJ145 (MSN 145244 | PR-PSQ) to be operated by National Airways Corporation on behalf of Equato-guinean carrier Punto Azul (ZR), has touched down in Malabo.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): Government proceeds with setting up of new national carrier as concerns arise over LAC's liquidation.

Congolese Minister of Transport and Communication, Justin Kalumba, has said previously announced plans for the setting up of a new national carrier to replace LAC - Lignes Aériennes Congolaises (4V), now in liquidation, are at an advanced stage, though there are concerns as to the fate of LAC's property, equipment and staff, who had been promised a renewed future once a new airline was established.

■ TANZANIA: See Rendering for Dar es Salaam's new $170million Terminal III to be built by BAM International.

The Tanzanian Airport Authority has signed a contract worth USD170million with Dutch construction firm, BAM International, for the construction of a new international terminal (Terminal 3) at Dar es Salaam's Julius Nyerere International (JNIA).

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Government planning to merge SAA, Mango, SA Express into one holding company?

South African Airways (SA) and its subsidiaries, Low Cost Carrier Mango (JE), SA Express (XZ) (and possibly SA Airlink (4Z) though no mention is made of it) could be merged into a single holding company according to a leaked SAA communique.

■ SENEGAL: Atoumane Fall, DG of Civil Aviation Authority, fired as a result of the 1900D crash in São Tomé & Principe.

Reports out of Senegal state that Atoumane Fall, the director of the Senegalese Civil Aviation and Meteorology authority, Agence Nationale de l'Aviation Civile et de la Météorologie (ANACIM) has been fired as a result, it is claimed, of the recent disappearance, and presumed crash, of a Beechcraft 1900D in the Gulf of Guinea, just off the coast of São Tomé & Principe.

■ NAMIBIA: Air Namibia allegedly tries to back out of A330 deal with Intrepid; Government served with $130million bill.

The Namibian press reports that the Government has been served with a Notice of default following national carrier Air Namibia's (SW) attempt at cancelling a USD130million deal signed last year for two Airbus A330-200s with US-based Intrepid Aviation, a privately held commercial aircraft lessor.

■ 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.