Intrigues big and small: every Thursday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.
Three warlords have agreed to disband their movements and join the peace and reconciliation process. This is the result of intense negotiations conducted in N'Djamena by the CAR president's emissaries.
Weakened by a succession of setbacks against armed groups on the northern border, Benin's armed forces are trying to regain a foothold with the help of private service providers, France and the EU.
Since the Nigerian took charge of the pan-African bank the number of its member states has almost doubled, thanks in large part to his ties to billionaire Aliko Dangote and his fellow development bankers.
The next joint exercise between Africa Command and the South African military is scheduled to take place in South Africa at the end of August. Discretion is required to avoid attracting the attention of the American authorities, whose diplomatic relations with Pretoria remain strained.
Brazil's Embraer had appeared favourite to bag an over $600m deal to supply military transport planes to the Moroccan air force. But the US giant Lockheed Martin is still very much in the running, and is even trying to get the State Department to help it clinch the deal.
In Misrata, Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dabaiba's joint force has established contact with the Azerbaijan Defence Ministry to acquire offensive aircraft. The head of the Government of National Unity may be preparing an operation against hostile militias in Tripoli.