The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has shown itself very open to the advances of the Patriarch of Moscow, who is on a crusade against the Church of Alexandria for recognising the Orthodox Church of Ukraine's independence from Russia in 2019.
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Diplomacy 
After being accused of not being firm enough in handling the crisis with the US major's employees, the MD of ExxonMobil in Chad has been replaced. A fellow Frenchwoman, Cécile Rauline, will complete the sale of the Doba fields to Savannah Energy.
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Energy 
In a letter sent to Mali's foreign minister on 9 March, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell made the continuation of EU operations in Mali conditional on a strict separation from the activities of the Russian mercenary firm Wagner.
Guinean junta leader Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya is considering reforming the country's electoral system in the coming months. He is expected to ask Territorial Administration Minister Mory Condé to begin the task.
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Politics A company co-owned by the province's government is soon to sign a deal to buy Guinean bauxite for its alumina and aluminium smelters.
Kenya's head of state has made a raft of appointments to public bodies that will play an important role in the remaining few months of a very tight succession battle.
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Politics 
Taking advantage of its position as current chair of the Kimberley Process, the Botswana government wants to reinstate diamond certification control measures that fell into disuse during the pandemic. The objective is to ensure the longevity of the Kimberley Process brand, but also to be proactive in the leadership of the organisation, which could see its headquarters built in Gaborone.
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Mining The EU delegation in Antananarivo is set to hire several consultants to carry out studies on Madagascar's government. In a document seen by Africa Intelligence, the diplomatic mission already deems the Malagasy state to be "ineffective and inefficient".
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Diplomacy South African businessman Ivor Ichikowitz entrusted Scopa Industries with the promotion of his Paramount armament group at the World Defense Show (WDS) in Riyadh. A partnership that should benefit Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Alailjan, head of this private Saudi company.
The Tshwane local council has launched a spectacular campaign to recover outstanding debt from various embassies. Africa Intelligence was able to see the list of concerned countries, mostly African, who all contest having any unpaid bills.
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Diplomacy Absa Bank has scored a victory in the South African courts. Uwoyela Environmental Services (UES), to which the bank had lent about $3m for an unsuccessful oil project, is to be liquidated
Othman Benjelloun, chairman and CEO of BMCE Bank of Africa, has completed the reorganisation of his holding company O Capital, with its twin head offices in Morocco and Luxembourg. The handover of his fortune to his heirs has been settled but the future of his bank, the group's flagship, remains uncertain.
Libya depends heavily on Russian and Ukrainian grain imports, and recently saw its last shipments arrive in Misrata port. The country is urgently looking to source new suppliers.
