Inner circles | Africa
Saadé family's CMA CGM entrusts military and diplomatic veterans with its Africa ops

Spotlight | Central African Republic, Chad
Déby's Bangui trip offers Russia a chance to renew partnership bid

President Mahamat Idriss Déby, who has put an end to Chad's defence agreements with France, is due to travel to Bangui this week for talks with his counterpart Faustin Archange Touadéra. Russian officials will use the visit to meet the Chadian leader and clinch a partnership.

Inner circles | Togo
Gnassingbé tightens grip on power with selective security sector reshuffle

Employing his knack for surprise promotions and sidelining senior officers, the Togolese president is focused on ensuring stability in an army tasked with countering jihadist threats on the northern border. Meanwhile, internal security remains under the steady hand of regime loyalists.

Spotlight | Senegal
Mazars' scathing audit of BP in Senegal's Tortue field

A confidential report by the French audit firm commissioned by Senegal's oil and mines ministry found that the British major overestimated its costs surrounding the GTA project. A valuable trump card for the Senegalese government, which must repay BP's costs before getting any money in its own coffers.

Spotlight | West Africa
ECOWAS set to formalise departure of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger

The heads of state of the West African regional organisation will meet next month in Abuja. The main issue at their summit will be the ratification of the withdrawal from ECOWAS of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, which are all now run by military juntas.

Spotlight | Kenya, Somalia
Mogadishu turns to Nairobi amid row with Jubaland

Somalia's central government wants Kenya's help in unseating the newly elected president of its largest federal state. Tension continues to mount in southern Somalia, under the watchful eye of its international security partners.

Inner circles | Ethiopia
Who's who in the entourage of Takele Uma, Abiy's new Ethio-Djibouti Railway boss

The Ethiopian PM has appointed the former Addis Ababa mayor and minister of mines, whom he dismissed last year, to revitalize the struggling railway. An early supporter of Abiy, Takele has surrounded himself with loyalists, which risks raising some hackles.

Inner circles | South Africa
Coalition partner Steenhuisen uses his team to stand up to dominant ANC

Spotlight | Botswana
President Boko's election reshuffles cards in diamond industry

The bosses of diamond giant De Beers, which operates mines in Botswana, have had an initial meeting with the country's new leader and are delighted with the political changeover. But the state's deal with HB Antwerp, which wanted to market the country's precious stones, appears to be in jeopardy.

Inner circles | Libya
Business magnate Mohamed Taher Issa tempted by political role

Spotlight | Morocco
Mohammed VI's Abu Dhabi investment agreements not yet implemented

A year after the king's visit to the UAE, none of the agreements announced at the time has been brought into effect. Apart from resolving the difficulties being experienced by some Emirati companies in Morocco, Abu Dhabi wants solid assurances before it invests.