AFRICA: inDriver From Russia Is Uber’s Latest Competitor In Africa

Global ride-hailing giant Uber has gone from having no competitors in Africa to having more than 50.

While it mainly contends with Taxify, the Estonian ride-hailing service, which is now in more African cities, Uber also faces competition from homegrown options like the Safaricom-backed Little Cabs in Kenya and regional players like Careem across North Africa.

In fact, it tried to merge with Careem this year, but Egyptian regulators warned against the deal.

The latest market entrant is inDriver, a Russian ride-hailing company, which has launched in Arusha, Tanzania, its first market on the continent.

The five-year old company operates in nine other countries across South and Central America as well as Europe. Long-term, inDriver hopes to differentiate its service by allowing drivers and riders haggle over final fare prices while it sets base fare price.

inDriver is also hoping to rapidly grow its driver pool by charging no commissions on driver earnings for six months after which it will begin charging 5% to 8% in commissions—much lower than either Uber or Taxify.

Drivers will also be able to view both pick-up and destination points before accepting rides.

inDriver’s play for drivers is not entirely new as incentivizing drivers has already proven to be a major part of the scrap for ride-hailing market share in Africa.

But what it offers in driver incentives, inDriver will likely lack in financial might compared to the biggest players on the continent. It raised $10 million in its Series B funding round earlier this year. Uber and Taxify are both billion-dollar unicorns.

Neither is showing any signs of slowing down on growing its Africa operations either. Taxify is eyeing ten-fold growth in the next two years and already operates in more African cities than Uber.

For its part, Uber is looking to add Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Mauritius among potential targets to the eight African countries in which it already operates.

Uber has also shown a deeper interest in fitting into local transport ecosystems and has launched lower cost ride-hailing options with rickshaws in Kenya and motorcycles in Uganda.

It’s now looking to roll out a new service in Nairobi to allow users book spots on commercial mini-buses—locally known as matatus—which remain the most common form of transport in the city.


Tourism Observer

DR CONGO: Congo Airways To Start New Routes

This year will be a watershed year for Congo Airways’ expansion plans, says Desire Balazire, Director General of the airline.

The carrier launches services from Kinshasa to Johannesburg today (February 28), marking its international debut, after initially planning to launch these flights later this year on November 1.

The three weekly flights are operated by an Airbus A320-200, with 10 seats in business class and 150 in economy.

Congo Airways next plans to launch flights to Dubai, its first destination outside Africa.

These flights will be operated by a leased Airbus A330.

Later in the year, two more Airbus A320s will be added to its fleet, which presently comprises two Airbus A320s and two Bombardier Q400s, to support regional expansion.

Other destinations that Congo Airways is eyeing include Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Cotonou (Benin), Douala (Cameroon), Addis Ababa and Nairobi.



Tourism Observer

RWANDA: More Destinations For RwandAir

RwandAir has now launched its seventh West Africa destination, Abidjan, as part of the airline’s continued rollout of new countries important to its strategy to connect Africa via Kigali.

This follows the start of commercial flights on Rwanda Air a month ago to Cotonou and both new destinations are expected to begin feeding traffic into the WB network via Kigali to Eastern and Southern Africa, Dubai and soon to India’s commercial capital of Mumbai.

The recently acquired first Airbus A330-200 by Rwanda Air is meanwhile making yet more maiden appearances across RwandAir’s network with the most recent deployment taking the new bird to Cotonou, Libreville and Douala, where travel agents, corporate clients, invited guests from government, diplomatic corps and the business community were able to tour the aircraft while it was on the ground in the respective cities.

Named ‘Ubumwe‘, a Kinyarwanda word for Unity, will the aircraft now commence commercial flights four times a week to Dubai first before the arrival of a second Airbus A330-300 in November will then pave the way to launch operations to Mumbai.

The airline is banking on the aircraft’s superior inflight comfort and three class cabin configuration which offers Business Class, a dedicated cabin for 21 Premium Economy Seats and an Economy Class with 18 inch seats, the widest presently on offer by commercial airlines.

RwandAir will put several schedule changes into place, aimed to make travel to and from Southern African countries faster and easier, and offering seamless connections into their trans-Africa network and to their new intercontinental destinations.

Johannesburg will revert to nonstop flights, with several traffic days earmarked for a second daily service between Kigali and South Africa’s commercial hub. This change will also facilitate onward travel to Cape Town or Durban – and vice versa – which the current schedule makes difficult at best.

Come January next year, RwandAir will put several schedule changes into place, aimed to make travel to and from Southern African countries faster and easier, and offering seamless connections into their trans-Africa network and to their new intercontinental destinations.

Johannesburg will revert to nonstop flights, with several traffic days earmarked for a second daily service between Kigali and South Africa’s commercial hub. This change will also facilitate onward travel to Cape Town or Durban – and vice versa – which the current schedule makes difficult at best.

New destination Harare, Zimbabwe will, when launched in mid January, be combined with Lusaka, Zambia in a standalone triangular service routing KGL – LUN – HRE – KGL. Flights will in fact be raised from the present three times a week to LUN to five flights a week at that stage January.

The introduction of long haul services to Mumbai and later in 2017 to London will see RwandAir tap into the market of connecting passengers with yet greater determination, to make sure that they can fill their new Airbus A330’s but also carry more traffic into their Eastern and West African networks.

All flights to South Africa will be operated on Boeing 737 aircraft and, while no confirmation has been received as yet, there is speculation that the flights from Kigali to HRE and LUN will see the Bombardier CRJ900 deployed on that route.

The lack of slots for flights from Kigali to London Heathrow is seen as the key reason why RwandAir is now eying Gatwick, the UK capital’s second busiest airport.

The airline’s CEO Mr. John Mirenge, while speaking in Abidjan / Ivory Coast after the official inaugural flight to RwandAir’s latest African destination, gave the clearest indication yet that by 2018 Europe will be on the map for Rwanda’s national carrier.

During the runup of the delivery ceremony of the airline’s first Airbus A330 in Toulouse a few weeks ago did Mr. Mirenge also mention that London may be combined with another European waypoint but would not commit if that could be Frankfurt or another European gateway. At present does RwandAir only operate in codeshare with Brussels Airlines to the European capital.

Following the delivery of two additional aircraft in November, a brand new Boeing B737-800NG and a larger Airbus A330-300 variant is a widening of destinations expected in both Africa and beyond with Mumbai the first intercontinental target of the airline’s relentless expansion drive, fully backed incidentally by the Rwanda government.

In a related development are results due to be announced very soon of the IATA audit on Safe Ground Operations, in short ISAGO, which will certify RwandAir’s ground handling unit to be compliant with global best practice and standards.

IVORY COAST: Visit Ivory Coast, It Is An Interesting African Destination

Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa with a southerly facing North Atlantic Ocean coast.

It is bordered by Ghana to the east, Liberia to the west, Guinea to the northwest, Mali to the north, and Burkina Faso to the northeast.

Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the development of cocoa production for export, and foreign investment made Côte d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical African states, but did not protect it from political turmoil.

In December 1999, a military coup - the first ever in Côte d'Ivoire's history - overthrew the government.

Junta leader Robert Guei blatantly rigged elections held in late 1999 and declared himself the winner.

Popular protest forced him to step aside and brought runner-up Laurent Gbagbo into liberation.

Ivorian dissidents and disaffected members of the military launched a failed coup attempt in September 2002.

Rebel forces claimed the northern half of the country, and in January 2003 were granted ministerial positions in a unity government under the auspices of the Linas-Marcoussis Peace Accord.

President Gbagbo and rebel forces resumed implementation of the peace accord in December 2003 after a three-month stalemate, but issues that sparked the civil war, such as land reform and grounds for citizenship, remained unresolved.

Elections were finally held in 2010 with the first round of elections being held peacefully, and widely hailed as free and fair.

Laurent Gbagbo, as president, ran against former Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara.

On 2 Dec 2010, the Electoral Commission declared that Ouattara had won the election by a margin of 54% to 46%. The majority of the rest of the world's governments supported that declaration, but the Gbagbo-aligned Constitutional Council rejected it and then announced the country's borders had been sealed.

The presidential election led to the 2010–2011 Ivorian crisis and to the Second Ivorian Civil War. After months of unsuccessful negotiations and sporadic violence, the crisis entered a critical stage as Ouattara's forces seized control of most of the country.

By Apr 2011, pro-Ouattara forces had penetrated Abidjan and street-level combat between the two sides led to the capture of Gbagbo and the situation has now stabilised.

However, many governments are still advising their citizens against travel to Côte d'Ivoire even though several thousand UN peacekeepers and several hundred French troops remain in Cote d'Ivoire to support the transition process.

Tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October). The coast has heavy surf and no natural harbours; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible.

Mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in the northwest. Most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region. Apart from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated. The highest point is Mont Nimba (1,752 meters).

Lagunes (Abidjan) - the coastal lagoons area around the de facto capital of Abidjan

Northern Savanna (Bouaké, Comoe National Park) - the largely Muslim area held in recent years by rebel "New Forces"

Southwestern Forests (Taï National Park, Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve) - the tropical wet forest area inhabited by the Kru people bordering Liberia

Eastern Plantations (Yamoussoukro) - the partially cultivated area between Lac de Kossou and the border with Ghana

Abidjan - Remains the administrative center and other countries maintain their embassies there.

Korhogo - Rebel head quarters; otherwise idyllic, bursts with commerce during Feb - May because of flowing cotton and cashew trade.

Aboisso - Important mile stone on the route connecting Abidjan and Ghana trade route

Bouaké - the second largest city

Dabou

San Pedro - the second port city

Yamoussoukro - Although it has been the official capital since 1983, it is not the administrative centre.

Grand-Bassam - A coastal town full of colonial charm, often a retreat for local Ivorians seeking to escape the city life of Abidjan on the weekends.

Man - A town in the central west surrounded by hills and a great place for hiking up Mount Tonkoui.

Three National Parks are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

- Taï National Park

- Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve

Visa To Ivory Coast
All non CEFA country citizens visiting Côte d'Ivoire must obtain a visa before arrival.

The process is online at the Official Website for Visa.

Citizens of the United States can now apply for a tourist visa over the internet.

The website design is lacking and completing the application process may require you to translate some french.

Alternatively, Americans looking to travel to Côte d'Ivoire may contact the embassy in Washington D.C. directly

The Ivory Coast embassy of Conakry currently refuses to deliver visas to get from Guinea to Ivory Coast and the border is theorically closed.

Visiting Ivory Coast By Plane
The Felix-Houphouet Boigny International Airport (ABJ) has daily scheduled flights to and from Paris by Air France and Corsair, Istanbul (Turkish Airlines), Brussels (Brussels airlines), and Dubai (Emirates).

There are also semi-weekly flights to Cairo (Egyptian Air), Casablanca (Royal Air Maroc) and Johannesburg (South African Airways).

There are also regular flights to other West-African capitals.

The airport is a modern facility and increased security has shaken its old reputation as a place for travelers to be ripped off. Unfortunately, it's also one of the most highly taxed in West Africa, with an average of $90 in taxes and fees added to the cost of every international ticket.

Enter By Train
The train journey between Abidjan and Ouagadougou usually takes around 30 hours and costs 30'000 CFA for a one-way second class ticket.

Trains are packed with people and luggages as well as the incidental goats. Seats are rather uncomfortable. Nevertheless, this is an amazing experience that's well worth the price and back aches.

Be aware that pickpockets are very common on this train, especially when you're an obvious tourist.

Never leave your luggage unattended and don't go showing your newest smartphone or Breitling.

Enter By Car
It is ill advised to try to enter Côte d'Ivoire from Guinea, Liberia, Mali, or Burkina Faso.

The Ghanaian border is fairly secure. If you enter at Elubo, you can easily catch a shared taxi to Aboisso and then a bus to Abidjan.

There are about ten military check-points between the border and Abidjan so have your documents ready.

If you do not have proper documentation of your inoculations at the border you will be forced to pay a small fine and they will give you an injection at an on-site clinic.

Enter By Bus
Buses run daily between Abidjan and Accra. The service is offered alternating between the STC (Ghana) and its Ivoirian equivalent.

Enter By Boat
Abidjan has a beautiful evening ride on the lagoon in the city for tourists. It might not be breath taking, but is a very good pleasure trip.

Daily, hundreds of Ivorians take the lagoon route to reach offices on the port side.

Travelling Around Côte d'Ivoire
Inter-city travel in Côte d'Ivoire is usually more comfortable than travel in neighbouring African countries.

The roads are generally in good condition and the bus service is relatively modern. The down side is the very frequent military check-points which add hours to a trip.

Though the stops are a hassle, Ivoirian soldiers tend to be pretty professional and don't hassle non-French western travellers.

Soldiers in Ghana for example are much more likely to demand a bribe than in Côte d'Ivoire. Most western governments recommend that their citizens steer clear of Côte d'Ivoire.

This should be taken particularly seriously by people travelling on French passports. An Ivoirian soldier's attitude towards you will change very quickly when you explain that you are not French.

UTB - Union de Transports de Bouake offers frequent buses to most destinations of interest. Their bus stations are widely known in the cities and are semi closed compounds so travel is not a hastle.

Travel in Abidjan is the best when you have your own vehicle to travel around.

The roads are fairly good for the region, but traffic rules are flouted routinely, especially by taxis.

There is no lane discipline and traffic lights are merely suggestions. Traffic jams get bad at rush hour and some selfish drivers make things worse through illegal and often reckless maneuvers.

The police response to this is laughable, as they are unable to chase/punish the worst offenders and shake down people who aren't doing anything wrong.

Taxis are a great and easy way to get around in Abidjan. Just look for an orange coloured car and flag it down. Fares are very affordable: US $2-4 depending on the length of the journey. Always negotiate before you get in the taxi don't use the meter as you'll almost always pay more.

The official language and lingua franca is French, but there are 60 native languages as well.

The most widely spoken is Dioula. Other native languages include Baoulé, Bété, Sénoufo, Attié, and Anyin. But one cannot survive without French for longer time duration. And business travellers need French on their tongue to close any small deal.

Tourist villages, beaches, and photo safaris are some of the main tourist attractions to see in Côte d'Ivoire. Famous Mapouka dance

You can also climb a beautiful mountain called, 'Mount Nienokoue'.

It is 230 meters tall and consists mainly of forest and exotic animals. There are many breathtaking views. You can climb Mount Tonkoui in Man in the west of the country and see until Libera if the weather permits.

You can visit Tanu Sakkasu near Bouake and see how the black pottery is traditionally made.

Visit the Wananiere Village des Tisserands near Korhogo and learn how the traditional cloth is made.

You can buy traditional wooden masks, they all have spiritual meanings and can be either good or bad.

Good food is cheap and you can find very good restaurants in Abidjan.

You should get a vaccine for Hepatitis A before coming but even street foods are fairly clean.

Grilled "braisé" fish and chicken are very good and can be found on at outdoor restaurants called maquis .

Try the national dishes like "alloco" and "attiéké". Alloco is simply fried plantains, mostly accompanied by a spicy sauce called piment .

Attiéké is fermented cassava (yams) that looks like couscous but taste slightly sour this is often served with grilled chicken or fish and vegetables (tomatoes, onions, cucumber) and a must-try.

Usually white rice or french fries are starchy alternatives to alloco and attiéké as side dishes.

Another specialty is the excellent "shougouilla" a blend of charbroiled meat! You can always ask for extra vegetables, especially avocados, which are amazing during the season.

Service can take a while at a maquis, typically women cook and sell the food and men sell the drinks, so don't be surprised if you're billed separately for food and drinks.

Since one typically eats with one's hands at a maquis, usually they will have a sink or offer a bucket and soap for hand washing before and after you eat.

Note that locally people eat only with their right hands and kleenex are used for napkins.

Other kinds of restaurants[edit]
You can find most typical maquis food at more mainstream restaurants too, usually mixed with standard French and international dining options. In Abidjan, Lebanese food is another good offering, and there are several fancy (and expensive) French restaurants that are very good. Vietnames nems (fried spring rolls) are very popular and cheap.

When in doubt, skip getting a burger, local beef is very dry. Fish and lobster are usually freshly caught if you're near the coast. Fresh fruits, like mangoes, pineapple and papaya are everywhere, and are the best in the world when in season.

La nourriture "végétarienne"[edit]
Be aware that it's common for locals to say that dishes containing chicken or fish are vegetarian since they don't have "meat" in them, so it's helpful to clarify if you're looking to avoid it.

Tipping[edit]
A service charge is not included in the bill, and usually it's seen as acceptable to tip at a flat rate of 500-2000 CFA, depending on the size of the group and effort of the waiter.

Drink[edit][add listing]
It is recommended for visitors from the west to visit bars and night clubs with security. Havana Club and others are in Zone 4 or Zone Quatre. If you do go, be aware of prostitutes that will want to talk to you. Other places are in Treicheville and Cocody but you should have private transportation or a cab.

Palm wine[edit]
This is the cheapest drink and is locally fermented and served out of large water bottles. It will likely give you a wicked hangover if you can stomach the taste.

Beer[edit]
Almost every bar or restaurant will sell Flag, Castel, Touborg, Heineken and occasionally Bock beer. Only Bock is Ivoirian; the rest are either regional or from Europe. Flag is seemingly the most-popular brand.

Wine[edit]
Most of the wine here is imported from France and can be purchased for a reasonable price at any grocery store in Abidjan. Wine in restaurants is usually not very good and/or extremely overpriced.

Sleep[edit][add listing]
Some of the nicer, but more expensive and safe hotels in Abidjan are: Hotel Ivoire (Sofitel) in Cocody, Hotel Tiama in Plateau, the Golf Hotel in Riviera Golf, and there's a new Radisson Blu being built near the airport. Looking for something more charming and still very clean? Check out a wonderful hotel called La Licorne in Deux Plateaux, located behind the Total Station on the Rue des Jardins.

Learn[edit]
Work[edit]
Stay safe[edit]
Some areas of Ivory Coast currently suffer from a widespread issue of extortion by security forces. Security forces of all kind (army, police, gendarmerie, customs, anti-drug police) set-up illegal checkpoints where they stop cars and minibus and either find or create a reason to request money from the driver or it's passenger.

Most of the crime committed in Abidjan is by unemployed youth. Should you ever feel in danger it would be wise to seek the help of a middle-aged man. This older generation is often very contemptuous of young criminals and will likely help you out if you are being hassled.

Generally, Ivoirians will recognize the dangers to foreigners in their country and will often be very protective of naive travellers. This is especially true in the Abidjan neighbourhoods of Treichville and Adjame.

If you do drive at night do not stop fully at lights or signs. Beware of potential car jackers. Keep a brisk pace so they cannot carjack you.

Prostitution[edit]
Due to the high unemployment rate, prostitution was made legal. But only the exchanging sex for money, and only between adults (aged 18 and over). And Cote d'Ivoire has become a popular place for sex tourism. However, hiring a prostitute in Cote d'Ivoire is highly NOT recommended, due to the high rate of HIV/AIDS.

Stay healthy[edit]
HIV/AIDS has once reached epidemic proportions in the country, but has since seen huge improvements with an adult prevalence of 4.7%.

Neighboring Liberia and Guinea suffered under the Ebola crisis, but there have been no confirmed cases in Côte d'Ivoire and Ebola screenings are performed at all border crossings.

Respect[edit]
Although the country was previously referred to in English as "Ivory Coast", the country has requested that it be called "Côte d'Ivoire" (the equivalent in French). Pronouncing it "Coat di-VWAR" is close enough for an English-speaking person

NIGERIA: South African Airways Introduces Flights To Abuja

South African Airways (SAA) has introduced a second entry point to Nigeria in its quest to enable trade and unlock mobility, which will considerably add to business travel options in the West African region.

Adding a second gateway in Nigeria to SAA’s existing daily service to Lagos materially strengthens SAA’s position in West Africa. The addition of Abuja to SAA’s network follows closely on the successful introduction of the Accra, Ghana to Washington Dulles, USA route, as a West African platform in August 2015. SAA launched flights between Accra, Ghana and Washington DC in North America.

The introduction of the Accra to Washington route has seen a steady growth in the number of passengers using this route and has performed in line with expectations. This has provided SAA with the confidence to invest further and enhance its footprint in West Africa.

“Nigeria is one of the fastest growing air travel markets in Sub-Saharan Africa and will be well served with our additional services to Abuja. Introducing Abuja as a second entry point in Nigeria will add more travel options, especially for the business community, and will enhance our footprint on the continent,” says Sylvain Bosc, SAA Chief Commercial Officer.

Abuja, built in the 1980s, became Nigeria’s capital in December 1991, and is known for being one of the few purpose-built capital cities in Africa. With Abuja, SAA will be serving eight destinations in Central and West Africa, with flights from its Johannesburg hub to Lagos (Nigeria); Abidjan (Ivory Coast); Cotonou (Benin); Accra (Ghana); Douala (Cameroon), Dakar (Senegal) and Libreville (Gabon) already forming part of the extensive regional route network.

The three weekly flights will operate non-stop between Johannesburg and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja aboard modern Airbus 330-200s, offering SAA Business class comfort and luxury, with the latest in In-flight entertainment.

The first flight is scheduled to depart O.R Tambo International Airport on 26 January 2016. Flights are open for sale on all SAA’s distribution channels.

RWANDA: RwandAir Expands With Search Country Managers

The pace is gathering momentum in the corporate headquarters of RwandAir at the Kigali International Airport towards major fleet and destination expansion this year.

The upcoming delivery in the second half of the year of two brand new Airbus A330's will allow the airline to launch intercontinental flights for the first time in its history and preparations are in full swing to ticking all the right boxes in good time.

Recruitment has gone underway for additional flight attendants to join RwandAir, as the current fleet of 8 aircraft is set to grow by a further three this year - besides the two Airbus A330 is another brand new Boeing B737-800NG joining the fleet - before one more is due for delivery in 2017.

The airline is also recruiting country managers for their planned new destinations in Zimbabwe, Sudan, Ivory Coast and Benin in Africa and notably, ahead of the launch of long haul flights, in India and China.

The airline's inflight duty free sale is also undergoing a revamp to prepare for their intercontinental flights and confirmation was received that a contract has been signed with DFASS, the world's largest inflight duty free sales provider. Said an airline spokesperson in a statement received a short while ago:

RwandAir is growing rapidly with the addition of new aircraft and destinations. To augment this growth and expand their customer offerings, RwandAir is launching a new onboard duty free retail program.

DFASS Group will use its vast network of prestigious brands and product resources to uniquely merchandise the RwandAir onboard retail program to appeal to the needs and desires of the RwandAir passengers. DFASS has a proven history of working with its airline partners to develop a strong foundation necessary to implement, build and grow a world class retail business. DFASS will provide its state of the art technology both Point of Sale Software (POS) as well as its back office solutions that will benefit RwandAir, its passengers and flight attendants.

In establishing their new inflight duty free service, DFASS was chosen due to its leadership in the industry, including its innovative and creative sales & marketing plans coupled with access to prestige products, as well as its global operational infrastructure.

'DFASS Group has the unique ability to deliver proper portfolio of products that appeal to RwandAir’s passengers along with its consumer marketing programs coupled with its powerful state of the art technology that are strong elements to create a powerful in-flight duty free program for RwandAir' said John Mirenge, CEO of RwandAir.

'RwandAir is an important partner for DFASS Group and we believe that there are tremendous growth opportunities in the African region', said Benny Klepach, CEO of the DFASS Group before adding: 'RwandAir is excited to commence its new duty free program to better serve their customers. An active partnership is integral to the success of any inflight program'.

It was also confirmed that two IATA certification processes for RwandAir remain firmly on track, one being the renewal safety audit under the new e-IOSA scheme after RwandAir was first safety certified over two years ago. The airline is also preparing for the safe ground handling certification under IATA's ISAGO programme, which audits safety in ground operations.

Flights to India's main commercial city of Mumbai are expected to be launched in the October to December time frame, as are flights to Guangzhou while added Africa destinations such as Abidjan, Cotonou, Harare and Khartoum will also be added in the second half of 2016.