The Libyan government and Italian airline Blue Panorama have set up a new carrier, Afriqiyah Airways, to fly from Tripoli to West African capitals, includng Accra.

The Libyan state owns 51% of Afriqiyah Airways, with the remainder held by Libyan, African and foreign shareholders. Blue Panorama will supplying the planes and staff.

Using two Boeing 737-400s, the carrier will fly from Tripoli to Accra (Ghana), Benghazi (Libya), Khartoum (Sudan), Niamey (Nigeria), Bamako (Mali), Ndjamena (Chad), Bangui (Central African Republic), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso).

Competition on West African routes is intensifying, with Uganda's AfricaOne making its first flights earlier this week to compete with Kenya Airways, one of Africa's most profitable carriers. Brussels Airlines, the carrier formed from the rump of bankrupt airline Sabena, last week started flights to many of the Belgium flag carrier's former African destinations