IVORY COAST: Air Côte d’Ivoire And Ethiopian Airlines Announce Codeshare Agreement

Ethiopian Airlines and Air Côte d’Ivoire, the national flag carrier of Côte d’Ivoire, have entered into a codeshare agreement effective May 2018.

Under the new codeshare partnership, passengers originating from West African countries, especially from Lagos, Bamako, Cotonou, Accra and Lomé will board Air Côte d’Ivoire flights and enjoy a fast and seamless connection to Newark on-board Ethiopian direct service to Newark via Abidjan.

Tewolde GebreMariam, Group CEO Ethiopian Airlines, said: We are very happy to partner with Air Côte d’Ivoire with a view to connecting passengers from West Africa to our new flights to Newark via Abidjan. I wish to thank the

“We are very happy to partner with Air Côte d’Ivoire with a view to connecting passengers from West Africa to our new flights to Newark via Abidjan.

Ethiopian new Abidjan flights to Newark will be operated in complementarity to our existing Newark service via Lomé, which is being availed together with our strategic partner, ASKY Airlines.

Such partnerships among sisterly African airlines are crucial for African countries to fill the connectivity vacuum in the continent and for African carriers to regain their market share in their home market.

René Decurey, CEO of Air Côte d’Ivoire said:

A few months ago, Abidjan airport was certified to carry out direct links with the USA. It is now time to launch these direct flights and Air Côte d’Ivoire is very happy to carry out the operation in codeshare with Ethiopian Airlines.

This agreement will allow Air Côte d’Ivoire to sell the flights as well. We will, therefore, be able to offer passengers on our network, flights to the USA via Abidjan with a single Air Côte d’Ivoire ticket.

We are convinced that this partnership is the beginning of a long collaboration that will fully benefit our two Airlines and African passengers who used to pass through Europe to travel to the USA.

Ethiopian currently flies to 58 cities in Africa and more than 112 destinations globally.


Tourism Observer

MALI: Kangaba Le Campement Resort Attacked By Al-Qaeda In The Islamic Maghreb

Al-Qaeda's North African affiliate says a group linked to it carried out the suicide attack that killed at least 50 people in northern Mali.

A vehicle packed with explosives detonated at a camp housing soldiers and members of rival armed groups in the region's main city, Gao.

Mali's northern desert region has been restive since it was captured by militant Islamists in late 2012.

Despite French military intervention in 2013, the region remains tense.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) said the suicide bombing was meant to punish rebel groups co-operating with France, according to a statement obtained by the SITE Intelligence Group.

AQIM said a group called al-Mourabitoun was responsible and named the bomber it said carried out the attack. Malian media had earlier suggested several bombers took part.

Suspected jihadists crying "Allahu Akbar" stormed a tourist resort popular with foreigners on the edge of the Malian capital Bamako on Sunday, briefly seizing more than 30 hostages and leaving at least two people dead.

The assault on the Kangaba Le Campement resort comes after a similar strike less than two years ago on a luxury hotel in Bamako, which lies in the south of the troubled country.

Four assailants were killed by security forces, Mali's security minister said late Sunday, without specifying if more were on the run.

Nearby residents had first reported the attack after hearing shots while smoke billowed into the air, with at least one building ablaze.

"It is a jihadist attack. Malian special forces intervened," Security Minister Salif Traore said, adding that two people had been killed, including a Franco-Gabonese.

He later told journalists that we have recovered the bodies of two attackers who were killed and were searching for the bodies of two others.

We were able to rescue around 36 guests and workers from the resort, including around 15 French nationals and a similar number of Malians, he added.

The special forces were supported by UN soldiers and French counter-terrorism troops.

Mali's army earlier said that one of the attackers was wounded and gave up his weapon. He also left behind bottles containing some explosive substances, the security ministry said.

At least 14 people, both Malians and foreigners, were injured, according to the ministry.

A witness interviewed on local television ORTM said he saw a man arrive on a motorcycle who started shooting at the crowd followed by two or three people who came in another vehicle.

The landlocked west African country has been fighting a jihadist insurgency for several years, with Islamist fighters roaming the north and centre of Mali.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who is scheduled to visit Bamako on July 2 for a meeting with five Sahel countries, is following the situation very closely, the presidency said.

The victims were involved in conducting patrols in this highly volatile area under a deal backed by the UN in a bid to stop the violence there.

The accord between the government and rebel groups was signed in June 2015.

Al-Mourabitoun also said it was behind the hostage-taking at the Radisson Blu hotel in the Malian capital, Bamako, in November 2015, and a deadly raid on the Splendid Hotel in the capital of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou, in January 2016.

Gao in northern Mali was at the cradle of rebel uprisings and a sanctuary for Islamist fighters.

It is not the first time the military in Mali has been targeted by a deadly attack.

Several people rescued at Kangaba said assailants had shouted "Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest)".

The US embassy in Bamako had warned earlier this month of a possible increased threat of attacks against Western diplomatic missions, places of worship, and other locations in Bamako where Westerners frequent.

At a France-Africa summit in Bamako in January, the owner of Kangaba, Herve Depardieu, had complained about the alarming security information given by foreign consulates which seriously disturb our love of life and our freedoms.

In November 2015, gunmen took guests and staff hostage at the luxury Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako in a siege that left at least 20 people dead, including 14 foreigners.

That attack was claimed by Al-Qaeda's North African affiliate Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

In March the same year, a grenade and gun attack on La Terrasse nightclub in Bamako killed five people, including foreigners.

The Kangaba, located on the eastern edge of Bamako, boasts accommodation in hut-style rooms, as well as restaurants and swimming pools, according to its website.

- State of emergency - A state of emergency has been renewed several times since the Radisson Blu attack, most recently in April when it was extended for six months, but attacks are continuing.

In 2012 Mali's north fell under the control of jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda who hijacked an ethnic Tuareg-led rebel uprising, though the Islamists were largely ousted by a French-led military operation in January 2013.

But jihadists have continued to mount numerous attacks on civilians and the army, as well as on French and UN forces still stationed there.

The unrest has continued despite a 2015 peace deal between the government and Tuareg-led rebels offering partial autonomy to the north.

Sunday's attack is the latest in a series of high-profile assaults in north and west Africa, targeting locals and tourists.

In January 2016, 30 people were killed, including many foreigners, in an attack on a top Burkina Faso hotel and a nearby restaurant in the capital Ouagadougou. AQIM claimed the assault, saying the gunmen were from the Al-Murabitoun group of Algerian extremist Mokhtar Belmokhtar.

In March 2016, at least 14 civilians and two special forces troops were killed when gunmen stormed the Ivorian beach resort of Grand-Bassam, which was also claimed by AQIM.

The United Nations has a 12,000-strong force in Mali known as MINUSMA, which began operations in 2013.

It has been targeted constantly by jihadists, with dozens of peacekeepers killed, including five on Saturday.

France also has 4,000 soldiers in its Bakhane force in five countries, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso all of which are threatened by the jihadists across their porous borders.

In July last year, about 17 soldiers were killed and 30 others wounded in an attack on a military base in the central town of Nampala.

Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has declared three days of national mourning in a tweet following the latest attack.

The fight against extremist groups is one of the major challenges of Mr Keita's government.

But a new report by Human Rights Watch says the Malian government is not doing enough to protect civilians from the militants.

Wednesday's attack shows that even soldiers aren't safe.

If the security situation continues to deteriorate, then soon there won't be any peace to keep in Mali, UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous told the UN Security Council.

Africa Faces Invasion From Powerful Gulf And China Airlines

Africa is tipped to be one of aviation’s hot spots over the next 10-20 years. Growth rates are already strong, as increasing numbers of countries on the continent expand economically and develop a middle class.

But commercial aviation in Africa is still constrained by a combination of poor infrastructure, restrictive visa regimes and protectionism. Which makes it difficult territory in which local airlines can grow.

Although the size of the continent means that flying is the obvious way to get around, there has traditionally been a lack of intra-African services.

For many years, this has meant that getting from, say, one capital in Central Africa to another in West Africa has meant travelling – incredibly – via Paris. France was the colonial ruler of large swathes of western Africa and many countries retain French as an official language.

There are relatively few large carriers based in Africa – South African Airways, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian are some of the majors – that have sizeable regional networks.

But, just as the growing African economy should be giving those carriers a boost, they find that outsiders are eating their lunch.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is the Persian Gulf’s ‘Big Three’ – Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways – that are fast becoming major players in Africa, deploying their ever-growing capacity to soak up passengers. Increasingly, those passengers are being sucked into the seemingly insatiable maws of the hubs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. Just this year, the three Gulf carriers have launched, or will launch, services to Algiers, Bamako, Entebbe, Dar-Es-Salaam, Durban, Zanzibar, Accra and Mogadishu. They are also increasing frequencies or up-gauging aircraft on several African routes.

While this undoubtedly increases choice for African passengers, there are signs that it is starting to stress local carriers. In July, Kenya Airways cited competition from the Gulf carriers as one reason behind an annual net loss that spiralled from around $33 million in 2013-14 to $275 million for 2014-15.

And perennially loss-making South African Airways has been trying for some months to strengthen its relationship with Emirates, on the basis that ‘If you can’t beat them, join them.’ It also has a codeshare with Etihad.

Gulf airlines are also stepping up their cargo services into the continent. Again, West Africa is a particular target, but in early August Qatar Airways launched a specialized freighter service into Djibouti. The tiny northeast African nation has big ambitions to become the main logistics hub for that part of the continent and is the latest destination for Qatar Airways’ fast-expanding cargo arm, which already has regular dedicated freighter flights to six other points in Africa.

And as well as the Gulf carriers, indigenous African airlines may also be facing a new threat from China. China Southern has inaugurated a Guangzhou-Nairobi service, while earlier this year Air China announced plans to start routes from Beijing to Addis Ababa and Johannesburg. And the huge HNA Group, parent to Hainan Airlines, has a controlling stake in Ghana’s Africa World Airlines. The Chinese government is believed to be keen also to have domestic airlines initiate services to Africa. China, of course, has been pouring investment into Africa for some years, mainly to buy up minerals and other raw materials to feed its booming economy, so the Asian nation’s desire to add direct air services to the source of many of its business interests is understandable.

But it creates yet another problem for those African carriers seeking to carry their nation’s name further afield.

MAURITANIA: Mauritania Airlines International To Upgrade Aircrafts

Mauritania Airlines International, airline based in Nouakchott, Mauritania, serving as flag carrier of the country, is looking to replace its two of its three Boeing 737 aircraft with a pair of newer Boeing 737-800 airliners, with delivery later this year.

The carrier currently has two Boeing 737-500, one Boeing 737-700 and one Embraer ERJ-145 aircraft in its fleet of 4 aircraft.

Mauritania Airlines International is also discussing with Embraer an order for more ERJ-145 aircraft.

Mauritania Airlines International was set up in December 2010 in response to the demise of Mauritania Airways.

Mauritania Airlines International operates short- and medium-haul flights from its base at Nouakchott International Airport (NKC).

Mauritania Airlines flies to many destinations including Cotonou, Brazzaville, Abidjan, Conakry, Bamako, Zouerat, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Casablanca, Dakar and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

MALI: West Africa's Lost Treasure Suffering From Terrorist Attack Again.

“West Africa’s lost treasure,” is how the overland company, Dragoman, describes Mali. For World Music aficionados, it is one of the richest countries in the world, with creativity flowing as powerfully as the Niger River.

In normal circumstances thousands of British travellers would now be flying south to engage with Mali’s imperial history, wild terrain and diverse wildlife - many of them heading for Timbuktu, an ancient seat of learning.

But these are not normal times, and the northern border with Algeria has proved a porous route for warriors and weapons.

The latest Lonely Planet guide to West Africa devotes just four pages to a country five times bigger than Britain, saying: “Its landscapes, monuments, mosques and music bars are off-limits, sealed from tourists by a conflict that is threatening the culture of this remarkable country."

Even before the bloody events in the capital, Bamako, Mali was on the Foreign Office danger list.

“Maintain several days’ stock of food and water in case disturbances take place,” recommends the Foreign Office. “There is a high threat from terrorism, including kidnap.”

The north of Mali receives the most stringent FCO warning, “Avoid all travel,” because of a wave of jihadist terrorism. As this murderous attack shows, the horrors are spreading south.

For West Africa’s travel industry - which for the most part is embryonic - the Bamako assault will only spread the tourism blight that haunts the region. Ghana attracts discerning travellers, and Senegal and The Gambia are well prepared for sunseeking French and British holidaymakers. But the tone of much of media coverage of the Ebola crisis triggered unfounded fears among many prospective visitors - which spread even as far as the Cape Verde Islands, 350 miles off the coast of the African mainland.

In the immediate future, West Africa’s treasures will remain a secret. But as the new-found popularity of formerly war-torn countries such as Nicaragua and Vietnam shows, tourism can form an important part of a nation’s recovery.

MALI: Adventure Through West Africa

After passing 11 countries between Lagos and Dakar I thing that it is Mali who have best places of interest in this part of Africa. There are diversity of landscapes, rich folklore and historical landmarks to see. Apart from truck expeditions you have a choice of two methods to explore Mali. First is to establish small group of Travellers and to rent 4WD car with local driver.

In such case travel agency provides camping equipment, basic food and fuel and the cost will be around 100 USD per day per person. Second method is to travel around using very crowded local transportation. That is how I explored Mali. It cost me some 25 USD a day and gave me opportunity to taste quite different Africa.

From Bamako to Djenne
Capital city has not much to offer. It is worth to see National Museum and then take the taxi ride uphill to the view point for
nice panorama of the city and the river (if it is not harmattan day). I stayed at basic but inexpensive Maison de Jeunes (youth
hostel). They charge 3000 for single room with fan.

Bamako acts as a gateway to the whole country. But remember that there is also direct “side door” to the most interesting Mali
areas: gravel road from Ouahigouya (Burkina Faso) to Koro on the doorstep of Dogon Country. Daily truck is passing border on this
route and it cost 2000 CFA.

Mosque in DjenneMosque in Djenne
But most people start from Bamako going east. On the route to Timbuktu and Dogons it is definitely worth to make a little detour
to Djenne one of the most impressing towns in West Africa.During the 15th and 16th century it was a important trading center. The highlight of the town is Grand Mosque prettiest and largest example of mud-brick Sahelian
architecture. Entrance is restricted to the Moslems but for a small fee (500 CFA) you can enter the roof of the opposite house to take excellent picture.

It is worth to be in Djenne on Monday morning. It will give you a chance to see colorful market in front of the mosque. Djenne has also labyrinth of narrow streets to explore. If you will accept one of the ever-present guideboys (for 1000) he will show you
outstanding buildings, coranic schools, workshops etc. In Djenne I stayed at Le Campement hotel (13.000 for double with bath and fan) but there is also option for tight budget Travellers: “Che Baba” who charge just 2500 for the mattress on the floor.

Mopti & Dogon Country
Dogon CountyDogon County

Mopti is large commercial town and main transportation hub for eastern part of Mali. There is not much to see regarding monuments (mosque and surrounding old streets are only tourist objects) but the “must to see” is port on the Bani river very picturesque with dozens of long pinasses and piles of calabash, mat and other goods. What is irritating in Mopti that there are hordes of touts they will follow you everywhere. They will offer of course to be your guides to nearby Dogon Country.

Tuareg and authorTuareg and author
Arriving from Burkina we found our Dogon guide in Koro. Or in fact he was waiting for the truck coming from Ouagihuiya. His name is Oumar Guindo and I can recommend him to other globies. After hard bargaining we fixed the price: 11.500 CFA per person per day in the group of 3. It is important to make sure what is included in the price: guidance, meals, entry to the villages, overnight stays, porters and final car transfer to Bandiagara.

Escarpment where Dogon live is 150 km long. Villages to visit are both on the upper and lower level. Between levels there is limited number of country roads (at Dourou at Kani-Kombole) and paths. There are no signs on the paths so sometimes it is not easy to find the way guide is very useful. Walking on your own is possible but require good map and much more time). Those who travel through Mali by rented car usually come to Sanga on the upper level and make one or two day excursion to the villages on the lover level.

Due to limited time and money we spend in Dogon Country three days only.

Day one: After first night in Dourou on the top we made round trip excursion down to Nombori (some 5 km each way).
Walking shoes are required. Landscapes are excellent. In Nombori apart from traditional stone granaries and houses we accidentally had opportunity to see mask dances performed for other group (performance took about an hour and they charged from us 5000 CFA for taking pictures well worth the price). After return to Dourou we saw there in the afternoon colorful local market (markets are in the afternoons and on irregular schedule so it is not possible to plan such visit ahead). Late in the day we took 7-km walk south to the village of Begnimato where we stay overnight. In the villages you have a choice of sleeping in the stone or mud-brick house (mat or hard bunk only provided) or on the roof. Mornings are cool so sleeping bag is useful. Do not expect any electricity to charge your batteries.

Day two : After very basic breakfast (millet cakes) we visited local school (donations are welcome) and walk 10 minutes to
the viewpoint on the escarpment. Panorama from the cliff is impressive if not disturbed by harmattan dust. Back in Begnimato we
walked 10 km down to Ende large village at the foot of the escarpment. There are even basic guesthouses and nice artifacts on
sale. Each part of the village has his own togina shaded men meeting place with beautifully carved pillars. In the heat it
require some effort to reach abandoned ancient houses at the foot of the cliff. Sand is everywhere…

Day three : After one-hour walk along dozens of baobab trees we reached Teli with nice mosque, quite large “maison de
passage” and ancient dwellings hidden under the cliff even better preserved that those in Ende, with intriguing paintings. Continuing our trek at the foots of the escarpment we reached village Kani-Kombole. Then climbing uphill 5 km we finished our trip in Djiguibombo (7 hours from Ende). Djigibombo has interesting stone houses especially that where local quack treats his patients. Prearranged car took us to Bandiagara and another bache (pickup) – to Mopti.

Be very careful accepting local food. Be sure that your chicken-rice is fresh and well boiled or fried! Stomach problem are
common as it is hot and sanitary conditions are poor. Sealed mineral water is available in every village but you will probably
get only half bucket of water to do your morning and evening toilette.

Overland to Timbuktu Broken bus Broken bus

Town of Mopti is natural gateway for the people who head to legendary Timbuktu. To get there (If you do not have a
car) you have a choice of plain (2 or 3 times a week 50.000 CFA one way), boat (rather irregular schedule: 8000, 2-3 days) or 4WD
vehicle. For single me was not so easy to find seat in the car. There is travel agency who charge 260.000 CFA for 3-days round trip landcruiser expedition to Timbuktu. I was lucky to be in Mopti on the market day so it was possible to find truck carrying local people. They charged from me 30.000, but at the end of the trip my local companions said that they have been charged 15.000 only. Yes, that is Mali Do not believe touts until the car will move. Ask for ticket if they want payment in advance!

It took us 20 hours by our old landrover (mainly by night, loosing the way several times) to reach the bank of Niger. Usually there is ferry crossing in the wastes. But sometimes (as it was in our case) the ferry is broken and you are forced to use small pirogue to cross the river (1000 CFA). Then, from the pier on the other side another vehicle for 3000 will take you to Timbuktu which is still 21 km away. On the outskirts of the oasis there is control post where all foreigners must pay 5000 entry fee. As a reward you have free access to the city museum.

Camel ride to TimbuktuCamel ride to Timbuktu
Timbuktu was off limits for Europeans until 19th century. Timbuktu is very hot place with there old mosques in Sahelian style, mud brick houses, nomad tents and small market. There are also marked houses where first European explorers stayed. But the main attraction could be camel ride to the Tuareg camp in the desert. After bargain you can do it for 8000 CFA per person (half day, with unlimited pictures). You ride the camel, they will show you their tents, offer a tea and souvenirs (for extra CFA). Yes, it was a highlight of my stay in Mali!

PRACTICALS

Cool period lasts from November to March but is period when dusty wind harmattan blows from the desert reducing visibility. Rest of the year is very hot. Light rains occur from June to September. I suggest May and October as a best time to visit Mali.Visas are required and not possible to arrange at the border. While in Mopti, Gao and Timbuktu tourist must go to the
police post and register his passport. They charge 1000 CFA for this procedure. It is better to follow the rule due to frequent
road controls.

Tourist information Planing your voyage you can use Lonely Planet (“West Africa on a shoestring”) guide. In Bamako there is tourist information office but do not expect too much.

Basic knowledge of French is recommended. Internet resources are limited.

Money: Franc of West Africa (CFA). 1 USD is worth
approx.700 CFA

Sample prices:

Twin room with fan in the inexpensive guesthouse 13000 CFA. Minibus
or pickup rides: Bamako-Djenne 5000, Djenne-Mopti – 2000,
Bandiagara Mopti 1200+500 for backpack. French baguette 150, coke
200 CFA, big bottle of beer 1000, mineral water 600, postcard 250,
entry ticket to the museum 500.

QATAR: Qatar Completes Inter-line Agreement With Air Maroc

Qatar Airways and Royal Air Maroc have announced a bilateral codeshare agreement.

The inter-line agreement with Air Maroc will take effect from tomorrow, connecting the two carrier routes between Qatar and Morocco on Royal Air Maroc operation across West Africa.

Passenger can now book single itinerary connecting Qatar Airways and Royal Air Maroc with one-stop ticketing and baggage check-in.

Qatar Airways travellers travelling to Casablanca will now be able to connect onto the West African cities of Cotonou, Ouagadougou, Praia, Brazzaville, Pointe Noire, Abidjan, Libreville, Banjul, Conakry, Bissau, Monrovia, Bamako, Niamey, Lagos, Nouakchott, Freetown and Lomé.

Passengers will also be able to travel onwards to Marrakech within Morocco, Agadir, Tangier, Guelmime, Tan Tan, Tetouan, Al Hoceima, Fes, Errachidia, Oujda, Nador, Ouarzazate, Zagora, Laayounte, Dakhla and Beni Mellal.

Royal Air Maroc will launch its thrice-weekly B787 operation to Doha on September 9,

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said: “The launch of this codeshare agreement with Royal Air Maroc is great news for our business passengers who frequently travel on Qatar Airways, as they will be able to connect seamlessly onwards to almost 20 destinations across the West African region.”

IVORY COAST: Air Côte d’Ivoire Supports Muslim Community

Air Côte d’Ivoire, the national airline of Ivory Coast, has donated assorted items to the National Chief Imam in Accra.

The items were a goodwill gesture to the Muslim community in the country for their support to the airline over the years.

Micheline Yahot, Country Manager of Air Côte d’Ivoire said the airline has always had a special package for Muslim destinations.

“The package is there for Muslim destinations like Dakar, Niger, Conakry, and Bamako. We have a very nice fare with good connection. You can see that the flight is full of people traveling to the places mentioned to be with their families.

For instance, we now have a very competitive fare. We are on the route to support. We are also supporting the Muslim Community by donating these items.”

Sheikh Dr. Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu thanked the company for the gesture. “We express the gratitude of the Muslim community. We pray for the airline and ask God to protect them on the ground and in the air. We hope to continue with this relationship and we hope that this mutually beneficial relationship will continue. We hope to strengthen the relationship between the airline and the Muslim community.”

Air Côte d’Ivoire is the national airline of Ivory Coast, based in Abidjan. It started operations on 12 November 2012.

The Port Bouet Airport based airline re-started its operations in the country in January 2013 with offering to about 13 destinations within the sub-region via Abidjan.

The airline now offers six flights per week out of Accra to Abidjan with on-ward connection to more than 18 destinations. 20 in total with Three (3) domestics flights to San Pedro, Bouake and Korhogo.