■ 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.

► ZAMBIA: Proflight set to take delivery of a 737 in May for use on Lusaka - Livingstone flights during UNWTO.

Domestic operator Proflight Zambia (P0), is looking to take delivery of a Boeing 737-200ADV in late April for use on its domestic routes during the upcoming XXth United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly to be jointly held in Livingstone & Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe in August this year.

► CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Karinou Airlines to add a Boeing 737-300 in April.

Centrafricair o/a Karinou Airlines (KRN), a private carrier based out of the Central African Republic, is to boost its fleet with the arrival of a Boeing 737-300 due in April which will join its current lone Boeing 737-200ADV (MSN 23109 | TL-AEG) formerly with Lebanon's Med Airways.

► CONGO (KINSHASA): Allard dispels rumours of financial difficulties as Korongo sells off its sole BAe146.

CEO Christophe Allard, has denied media reports that Congolese carrier Korongo Airlines (ZC) is in financial trouble following the sale its sole BAe 146-200 (MSN 2196 | OO-DJJ) to an undisclosed American buyer last week.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Comair Ltd, SAA, SA Airlink set sights on regional expansion.

South African Airways (SA), its subsidiary SA Airlink (4Z) and competitor Comair Ltd, the British Airways franchise holder in South Africa in addition to owning LCC Kulula, have applied for new frequencies to the Democratic Republic of the Congo amongst other destinations as South African carriers seek to broaden their market bases.

► ZIMBABWE: Air Zimbabwe to get two ERJ135s; to start Munich, London, Nairobi, Mauritius flights in March?

A new dossier on Air Zimbabwe (UM) entitled "Aircraft rotation for summer 2013" purportedly showing the carrier's service resumption plans for Summer 2013, has been published with Embraer Regional Jets set to join the fleet. Additionally, flights to the UK, Germany, Ghana, Mauritius, Kenya and Nigeria are planned.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): Belgium, Congo ink new BASA with Jetairfly now wanting in on the action.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo and its former colonial power, Belgium, on Saturday 2 February signed a revised Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) replacing that which was signed in 1965, five years after the DRC's independence. New provisions include increased frequencies to the DRC for Belgian carriers while Belgium, in return, will aide the DRC in its quest to improve its international safety image.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): RVA launches study for new cargo facility at N'djili International Airport.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo's aviation authority, Régie des Voies Aériennes de la République Démocratique du Congo (RVA), has embarked on a €280'000 study for the construction of a new cargo facility at Kinshasa's N'djili International Airport.

► CONGO (KINSHASA): See Pics of Kabila's refurbished Presidential 707 due back in Kinshasa.

The Congolese Government is set to take redelivery of its Presidential Boeing 707-138B (MSN 64 | 9Q-CLK) used by strongman Joseph Kabila for international flights. The aircraft is one of 13 unique aircraft built for Qantas (QF) in 1959 and is also a sister-ship to John Travolta's Boeing 707.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): CAA considering an eventual buy out of flyCongo?

According to CH-Aviation, CAA - Compagnie Africaine d'Aviation (FPY), the Kinshasa-based Congolese carrier, is said to be planning the eventual acquisition of partner, flyCongo (EO), the successor to the now defunct Hewa Bora Airways, with whom it has been in a partnership since October 2012.

► CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Karinou Airlines to go regional in early 2013.

Amidst a turbulent political climate, Karinou Airlines (KRN), formerly Africa Airlines, has outlined plans to launch scheduled regional operations out of Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic, possibly in early January.

● CONGO (KINSHASA): ACAJ slams poor security at Lubumbashi Airport following attempted attack on 21 December.

The Congolese Association for Access to Justice (l'Association Congolaise pour l'Accès à la Justice (ACAJ)) has slammed the regional government of Katanga Province over its repeated failure to provide adequate security at Lubumbashi Luano International Airport following numerous attacks in the last two years.

► ZAMBIA: Ethiopian Airlines to start Ndola ops from March 2013 as Kenya Airways adds direct Saturday flight.

Zambia's third largest city, Ndola, is to see an increase in its regional connectivity with Ethiopian Airlines (ET) set to launch 3x weekly Boeing 737-700 flights to the Copperbelt from 31 March 2013, whilst competitor, Kenya Airways (KQ), is to introduce a once weekly Embrarer E190 Nairobi – Ndola terminator service, also effective 31 March 2013.

► BELGIUM: brussels airlines announces changes to its West & Central Africa network from February 2013.

Belgian carrier brussels airlines (SN) has announced various changes to its West and Central African route networks, effective late-February 2013.

► CONGO (KINSHASA): Arik Air starts Lagos - Kinshasa from 5 December.

Nigeria’s largest commercial carrier, Arik Air (W3), has announced the start of twice weekly flights from Lagos to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo effective 5 December 2012.

► MALI: Douniah Airlines to start ops from 2013.

Malian startup, Douniah Airlines (DTS), is planning to launch operations from January 2013 using a Boeing 737-300. Its initial routes will encompass various destinations in West and Central Africa.

► CONGO (KINSHASA): See Pics of CAA's Fokker 50 in the new livery!

Kinshasa-based private carrier Compagnie Africaine d'Aviation CAA (FPY) has adopted a new livery and corporate image.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): (Pics) N'djili Airport Runway 06/24 rehabilitation nearing completion.

Kinshasa's N'Djili International Airport's runway 06/24 refurbishment.

Kinshasa's N'Djili International Airport's runway 06/24 refurbishment is nearing completion, after more than 58 years of neglect, mismanagement and successive wars left it seriously damaged (cracks, rot, potholes, subsidence, reduced exploitable length),  thereby making landing and takeoffs both difficult and dangerous.

● UGANDA: Ethiopian asked to help resurrect Uganda Airlines as Tanzania & DRC are considered for a Central African hub.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) management has taken its search for a suitable regional hub in central and southern Africa to Tanzania, Congo (Kinshasa) and Uganda. Zambia, too, is to be visited, having recently held talks with Ethiopian officials in Addis Ababa over the possibility of establishing the carrier's "southern hub" in Lusaka.

■ NIGERIA: Arik Air celebrates 6th birthday, plans large network expansion.

Nigeria's largest carrier, Arik Air (W3), celebrated its 6th birthday at an event held at its corporate headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria.