■ CONGO (KINSHASA): MONUSCO upgrades Bunia Airport for night time ops.

The regional director of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), Martin Kobler, has officially inaugurated new air traffic control equipment for the international airport at its headquarters in Bunia, in the eastern Ituri region of Orientale Province of the DRC.

■ SOMALIA: Somaliland reopens Hargeisa International Airport following runway works.

Egal International Airport, the airport that serves Hargeisa, the capital of the self-proclaimed autonomous region of Somaliland, has reopened following the successful completion of USD4.6million in renovation and upgrade work to its runway, aprons and taxiways.

■ LIBYA: Tripoli International Airport to close for 3 months from October over runway repairs?

Libya's Ministry of Transport has reportedly announced the temporary closure of Tripoli International Airport with effect from October until December owing to critical runway repair and upgrade work. This has yet to be confirmed by either the Libyan Airports Authority or any Libyan carriers.

► NIGERIA: Discovery Air sets sights on two B737-300s; ops due soon?

Lagos-based startup, Discovery Air, is reportedly in the process of acquiring two 737s as part of efforts to launch operations. However, as of this posting, it is unclear as to whether or not the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has granted the carrier its Air Operators Certificate.

■ TANZANIA: TAA's big dreams for Kajunguti airport stall over its price tag as Kenya, Uganda push ahead with their own upgrades.

The Tanzanian Airports Authority says it requires USD20billion to develop and construct Kajunguti International Airport, located in the north eastern province of Kagera, as a means of boosting the region's profile in the great Lakes region. Kagera forms part of Tanzania's border with Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, and lies across Lake Victoria from Kenya.

■ TANZANIA: Precision Air to post loss during latest Financial Year; asks government for $32mln in funding.

Tanzania's Precision Air (PW) will this year post a heavy loss, the airline’s board chairman, Mr Michael Shirima, has announced. In addition, the airline has reportedly asked the government, among various other undisclosed financial institutions, for TZS51.2billion (USD32million) in funding to help cover bank loans and instalments for its TZS218billion (USD136million) order with ATR which includes four ATR42-600s and one ATR72-600.

■ EGYPT: National airports still operating despite ongoing chaos: Fadel

The Egyptian Minister of Civil Aviation, Abdel Aziz Fadel, has confirmed that all airports in the country are operating normally though the imposition of a curfew in Cairo has resulted in national carrier Egyptair (MS) asking passengers to be at Cairo International Airport at least 4 hours before the scheduled departure time of any international flights and 90 minutes before departure for domestic flights. He added the main road to Cairo airport was open and is closely monitored by police checkpoints and armed patrols.

► SUDAN: Mid Airlines Fokker 50 prop shatters on collision with obstacle; no injuries.

The Aviation Herald reports that a Sudanese Mid Airlines (7Y) Fokker 50 (MSN 20130 | ST-ARG) that was preparing for departure from Khartoum International Airport enroute to El Obeid as flight 7Y450, on August 6, suffered a serious incident when the starboard side prop slammed into a ground power unit while taxiing.

■ KENYA: KAA board sends its MD, Stephen Gichuki, on leave; says won't renew his contract.

The Board of Directors of the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has announced that its outgoing Managing Director, Engineer Stephen Gichuki, will go on his terminal leave until the expiration of his contract on October 23.

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Cameroon's Camair-Co starts Abidjan via Lagos from September.

Camair-Co (QC), the national airline of Cameroon, is set to expand its West African network with the launch of a long delayed 3x weekly flights to Abidjan, Ivory Coast via Lagos Nigeria effective September 2.

► GHANA: Pison Airways looking to launch international ops in December as more carriers head to Accra.

Ghanaian startup, Pison Airways, is reportedly aiming to launch operations in December of this year and like fellow entrant Eagle Atlantic Airways (EAB), it too is hoping to fill the void left by the demise of Ghana Airways (GH) and Ghana International (G0), albeit on regional and international routes.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Comair to take delivery of first 737-800 for its British Airways franchise.

South Africa's Comair Ltd is set to deploy its first B737-800 (MSN 30403 | ZS - ?) to its British Airways franchise. The aircraft had previously seen service with India's Jet Airways (9W).

■ TANZANIA: TCAA issues ground-handling tender for all airports excepting Dar es Salaam JNIA.

The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) has issued a tender for the provision of ground-handling services at the country's airports excepting Dar es Salaam's Julius Nyerere International Airport which the body claims, already has adequate licence holders awaiting to be concessioned by the Tanzania Airports Authority,

►► SOMALIA: Ethiopian Air Force Antonov AN12 crashes on landing in Mogadishu; 4 dead.

[UPDATE AUGUST 15] On Friday, August 9, an Ethiopian Air Force Antonov AN-12 military transport (MCN ? | 1513) crashed on landing at Mogadishu's Aden Adde International Airport killing four of the six persons aboard. The other two are said to have sustained serious injuries and are recovering at a Mogadishu hospital run by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), a regional peacekeeping force.

► SOUTH AFRICA: SA Express granted traffic rights to serve Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique out of Durban.

South African Express (XZ) has been granted traffic rights to serve Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique out of Durban following its application in October 2012. 

■ ANGOLA: Namibe Airport to resume operations from September 6.

Angola's airport and air traffic authority Empresa Nacional de Aeroportos e Navegação Aérea (ENANA) is on track to complete USD90million in upgrades to Yuri Gagarin International Airport in the south-western Angolan port of Namibe. According to the governor of Namibe province, Rui Falcão, operations are scheduled to resume with effect from September 6. Angolan carrier TAAG (DT) had been the airport's sole dedicated carrier prior to the start of construction.

► ZIMBABWE: PAKAfrica Aviation to use 1time buy out, stake in CATS to establish hub out of Harare.

South Africa-based PAKAfrica Aviation has reportedly acquired a 49% stake in Zimbabwe's Central Air Transport Services (ZO) and intends to use the acquisition, in conjunction with a proposed ZAR15million (USD1.5million) buy out of defunct South African LCC, 1time (T6), to establish a regional hub out of Harare. 

► RWANDA: Air Uganda, RwandAir sign codeshare deal.

Air Uganda (U7) and RwandAir (WB) yesterday signed a code-share agreement which, effective immediately, covers the Entebbe - Kigali route and will provide travellers with an increased choice of flights between the two cities. The signing ceremony took place at Kigali International Airport and was officiated by Mr. Cornwell Muleya, the CEO of Air Uganda  and Mr. John Mirenge , the CEO of RwandAir. 

► EGYPT: Egyptair outlines initial Winter 2013/14 schedule changes.

AirlineRoute reports that as per the August 9 GDS timetable/inventory display, Egyptair (MS) has outlined the following changes to its Winter 2013/14 operation effective from October 27 on.

► NIGERIA: Chanchangi Airlines takes delivery of a South African B737-500 on wet-lease.

Kaduna-based Chanchangi Airlines (5B) has reportedly taken delivery of a B737-500 (MSN ? | 5N-BQZ) on wet-lease from an unnamed South African leaser. The aircraft reportedly arrived in Abuja on Saturday August 10.