Which Air Carriers Traffic Arms in Africa? CIT-MAP Database Can Tell You

This analysis of air Cargo Carriers by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute is useful in tracking the movement of the owership of Arms Cargo carriers.

As theses cargo companies get sanctioned or fined or closed down, they simply move the assets (Planes) into another company and open up for business again.

-Shimron Issachar


Of the 172 air cargo carriers that have been listed in European Commission (EC) air safety regulations which ban them from entering EU airspace between March 2006 and June 2008, or targeted as a result of EC-led technical inspection missions,

• 80 have been named in a UN or other arms trafficking-related report,
• 85 have supplied, owned, leased or acquired aircraft to or from a company named in a UN or other arms trafficking-related report and
• 109 fall into one or other category.

This CIT-MAP database provides background information on these 109 air cargo carriers. In each case, information is provided on the following:

• The relevant EC regulation and the restrictions that it imposes
• Whether or not the carrier's air operation certificate (AOC) has been withdrawn or revoked
• At least one of the UN or other arms trafficking-related reports naming the carrier
• At least one of the assets which have been supplied, owned, leased or acquired aircraft to or from a company named in a UN or other arms trafficking-related report.

Please note that not all of the UN or other arms trafficking reports naming the carrier have necessarily been included. Nor have all of the assets which have been supplied, owned, leased or acquired aircraft to or from a company named in a UN or other arms trafficking-related report.

Disclaimer: The CIT-MAP air cargo carrier database catalogs those air cargo companies that have been listed in European Community air safety regulations as banned from entering European Union airspace and those air cargo companies that have been identified in a UN Security Council or other arms trafficking-related reports.

The database draws on information in open-source reports produced by the European Commission, UN Security Council and other organizations. The content of these reports is the responsibility of those organizations.

Company1

• Stateregistration
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
• Aerolift
  Sierra Leone
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
• Aeronord Group
  Moldova
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
• Aeroportul International Marculesti
  Moldova
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
• African Business and Transportations (See Business Aviation of Congo)
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
• African Company Airlines
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  
• African International Airways
  Swaziland
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  
• Aigle Aviation
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  
• Air Bas
  Equatorial Guinea
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Air Cargo Plus [Equatorial Guinea]
  Liberia
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  
• Air Cess
  Liberia
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2

Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Air Koryo
  North Korea
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2

Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Air Leone Ltd
  Sierra Leone
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2

Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Air Navette
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Air Rossiya
  Russia
  No
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Air Scorpio (See Skorpion Air)
  Bulgaria
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Air Sofia (AKA United International Airlines)
  Bulgaria
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2

Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Air Tomisko
  Serbia
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
• Air Tropiques
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2Assets transferred to or from named companies3
• Air West
  Sudan
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Albatross Avia (See Volare)

Ukraine
Named in arms trafficking-related report2
Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Anikai Airlines / Anikay Airlines
  Kyrgyzstan
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Atlant Soyuz
  Russia
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• ATO Air Transport Office
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  
  
• Aviacon Zitotrans
  Russia
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Blue Airlines
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  
• Botir Avia
  Kyrgyzstan
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Bright Aviation Services
  Bulgaria
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• British Gulf International
  Kyrgyzstan
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  
• Buraq Air
  Libya
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2

Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Business Aviation of Congo (AKA African Business and Transportations)
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2

Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Butembo Airlines
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  
• Cargo Plus Aviation
  Equatorial Guinea
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• CESS
  Equatorial Guinea
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2

Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• CET Aviation
  Equatorial Guinea
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Cetraca Aviation Service
  DRC
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• CHC Stellavia
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  
• Click Airways
  Kyrgyzstan
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• CO-ZA Airways
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  
• Dairo Air Services (AKA DAS Airlines / DAS Air Cargo)
  Uganda
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• DAS Air Cargo (See Dairo Air Services)
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Doren Air Cargo / Doren Air Congo
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  
• Ducor World Airlines
  Equatorial Guinea
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Ecuatorial Cargo
  Equatorial Guinea
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Ecuatorial Express Airlines (See Equatair)
  Equatorial Guinea

Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Equatair (AKA Ecuatorial Express Airlines)
  Equatorial Guinea
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Fab Air [UAE]
  Kyrgyzstan
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Galaxy Air
  Kyrgyzstan
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Galaxy Corporation / Kavatsi Air
  DRC
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
• Goma Express
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  
• Gomair
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  
• Great Lake Business Company
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  
• GST Aero Air Company
  Kazakhstan
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Heli Air Services
  Bulgaria
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Hewa Bora airways
  DRC
• Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  
• Intal Avia
  Kyrgyzstan
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Inter Tropic Airlines Ltd
  Sierra Leone
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• International Air Services / International Air Express
  Liberia
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Jet Line International
  Moldova
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Jetline Inc
  Equatorial Guinea
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Johnson's Air
  Ghana
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Kivu Air
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  
• KNG Transavia Cargo
  Equatorial Guinea
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Kosmas Air
  Serbia
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2

• Kras Air / Krasnoyarsky Airlines
  Russia
  
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Liberian World Airlines Inc
  Liberia
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Litoral Airlines Compania / Colair
  Equatorial Guinea
  Yes
  
• Lonestar Airways
  Liberia
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  
• Lotus International Air / Lotus Air Ways Cargo
  Equatorial Guinea
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Malila Airlift
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Malu Aviation
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Mango Mat
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Occidental Airlines
  Liberia
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  
• Okapi Airlines
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  
• Pecotox Air
  Moldova
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Phoenix Aviation
  Kyrgyzstan
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Reem Air
  Kyrgyzstan
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Russian Sky
  Russia
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Safe Air Company
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Santa Cruz Imperial / Santa Cruise
  Liberia
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2

Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Scan Air Charter
  Swaziland
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Scibe Airlift
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Services Air
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Silverback Cargo Freighters
  Rwanda
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Skorpion Air (AKA Air Scorpio)
  Bulgaria
  No
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Southern Gateway
  Equatorial Guinea
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• -Space Cargo Inc
  Equatorial Guinea
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  Sun Light
  Kyrgyzstan
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Tenir Airlines
  Kyrgyzstan
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Tiramavia
  Moldova
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Tracep
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Trans Air Cargo Services / TAC Air Service
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Trans Service Airlift
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Transway Air Service / Skyair Cargo
  Liberia
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Trast Aero
  Kyrgyzstan
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Uhuru Airlines
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Ukraine Cargo Airways
  Ukraine
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• United International Airlines (see Air Sofia)
  Serbia
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• UTAGE - Union de Transport Aereo de Guinea Ecuatorial
  Equatorial Guinea
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• UTair
  Russia
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Valan International Cargo Charter
  Moldova
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Vega Airlines
  Bulgaria
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Victoria Air
  Equatorial Guinea
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  
• Volare (AKA Albatross Avia)
  Ukraine
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Volga Atlantic Airlines
  Swaziland
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3
  

• Waltair Aviation
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Weasua Air Transport Co. Ltd
  Liberia
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2

• Wimbi Diri Airways / Wimbi Dira Airways
  DRC
  Named in arms trafficking-related report2
  Assets transferred to or from named companies3

• Yakutia Airlines
  Russia

Named in arms trafficking-related report2
Assets transferred to or from named companies3

Footnotes:

• 1 Every effort has been made to verify the exact identity of the air carriers included in this database.
• In certain cases, two different air cargo carriers registered in two different countries are actually the same entity. Such information is presented within parenthesis ( ).
• In certain cases, air cargo carriers carry the same name as other carriers operating good faith. In such cases, additional information is presented in brackets [ ].
• In certain cases, a single carrier may operate under several different aliases. In such cases, these aliases have been given, separated by a slash /

.2 The 172 air cargo carriers that have been listed in EC air safety regulations between March 2006 and June 2008, or targeted as a result of EC-led technical inspection missions, were analysed on the basis of whether or not their name had appeared in a UN or other arms trafficking-related report published between 1998 and 2008. This indicator was used to determine what proportion of the air cargo operators banned from EU air space on grounds of air safety are suspected of being involved in destabilizing arms transfers.

3 The 172 air cargo carriers that have been listed in EC air safety regulations between March 2006 and June 2008, or targeted as a result of EC-led technical inspection missions, were analysed on the basis of their asset operating history (AOH) to determine whether they had supplied, owned, leased or acquired aircraft to or from a company named in a UN or other arms trafficking-related report published between 1998 and 2008. This indicator was used to determine what proportion of the air cargo carriers banned from EU air space on grounds of air safety have conducted one or more business transaction with an air carrier suspected of being involved in destabilizing arms transfers.

Original Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Instiute