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Palace Intrigues
Mamadi Doumbouya, Paul Biya, Mohamed Benchaaboun and Zinedine Zidane

Intrigues big and small... Every Tuesday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond. This week: Mamadi Doumbouya's luxury watch collection, Paul Biya's NY wishes cull, Mohammed VI snubs ex-ambassador Mohamed Benchaaboun and French VIPs celebrate NYE in Marrakech.

Guinea Colonel Doumbouya's €400,000 wristwatch

Cameroon Everyone wants their New Year's photo with Biya

Morocco Glacial reception for Mohamed Benchaaboun in Rabat

France-Morocco Zidane among French VIPs in Marrakech for NYE

DRC
Turkey's cash-strapped Katmerciler struggles to deliver on armoured vehicle order

The Congolese government is still waiting on a delivery of armoured vehicles from Turkish group Katmerciler to ease pressure on the army, which is in need of equipment in its fight against the M23 rebels in the east of the country.

Burkina Faso
Under sanctions, Nordgold adjusts its strategy

Alexei Mordashov's company is stepping up its efforts at its Bissa Gold concession in the centre of Burkina Faso, which is less exposed to security risks. At the same time, the Russian firm is trying to persuade the ruling junta to allow it to settle some of its tax and royalty dues in gold and to lift a ban on exporting its output.

Ivory Coast
Alassane Ouattara and Laurent Gbagbo reconnect in secret

On 10 January, Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara ordered the payment with arrears of the financial sum that Laurent Gbagbo had been claiming for over two years. Shortly afterwards, the two men spoke by telephone, and have agreed to meet in February.

Uganda
Small Ugandan contractors work their way to TotalEnergies and CNOOC through McDermott and Sinopec

Development of the Kingfisher and Tilenga fields has opened up wide-ranging opportunities for the oil industry service companies. The big contracts have gone to the major international groupings but some local companies have managed to win new business in their wake.

Sudan
West's special envoys to meet in Khartoum

The West's special envoys for the Horn of Africa are due to meet in Khartoum in mid-February. They will discuss how they can best support the process that is supposed to lead quickly to the appointment of a prime minister and a government.

Mozambique
Nyusi chooses top diplomat to take charge of relations with Ramaphosa

Mozambique's complex relations with neighbouring South Africa are to be supervised in future by Maria Manuela dos Santos Lucas, one of the Mozambican foreign ministry's most experienced diplomats. She will take up her duties in Pretoria in the next few weeks.

Africa, Algeria, Morocco
CAF again postpones announcement of CAN 2025 host nation

The Confederation of African Football was due to reveal which country would host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on 10 February. But the decision, in which Morocco and Algeria are currently favourites, has been put off for diplomatic and logistical reasons.

Algeria
Cevital's planned crushing plant in Bejaia stumbles due to drought

Algeria has faced serious drought for several years, but despite this the agro-industrial group Cevital insists that its water-hungry oilseed crushing plant will go ahead on schedule.

Morocco
Brussels beefs up support for rights body and civil society

The European Union has contracted French, Irish, Danish and Spanish entities to provide technical assistance to Morocco's National Human Rights Council and to help strengthen civil society.