RAK Airways to manage defunct Congo airline

Dubai: RAK Airways will manage a now defunct airline in Congo in which Ras Al Khaimah government's investment arm, Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (Rakia) has bought a 60 per cent stake, a top official said.

"Rakia has recently bought 60 per cent stake in the airline. The government has plans to manage it through RAK Airways," Serge H. Guillaume, executive director of Rakia, told the media on Monday.

"Currently the airline does not have any fleet, so it is not operational. However, we are planning to buy aircraft to start services. It is a national carrier and enjoys some traffic rights in the central African region, which the airline will serve. It will have a close relationship with RAK Airways in services and fleet management."

The airline is expected to be rebranded as Air Congo.

Ras Al Khaimah government has some mining interests in Congo through RAK Minerals and Metals Investment Authority (RMMI).

"We will soon take over the operations of the airline, rebrand and develop its fleet," K. Ravindran, RAK Airways' chief operating officer, told Gulf News. "Our plan is to develop the airline as a strong domestic and regional airline and we are working to mobilise resources to start the airline.

"The airline, although not operational, has traffic rights in a number of African countries as a designated airline. There will be a strong collaboration between the two carriers."

Rakia's asset development arm Rakeen is developing some mixed-use projects in Congo.

RAK Minerals & Metals Congo FZ LLC is a new venture founded to pursue metal opportunities. The company has identified significant opportunities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, primarily in mining and processing copper, limestone and aggregates. Significant stakes have been acquired in two companies holding vast copper mines and one company with mining concessions for limestone and aggregate.