Central African Republic
Third IMF support tranche snags on reform of hydrocarbons sector

Palace Intrigues
Faustin-Archange Touadéra, Sesakho Magadla, Ousmane Ndiaye

Intrigues big and small – every Thursday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.

Central African RepublicFaustin-Archange Touadéra puts together his first diplomatic high-level meeting

South AfricaPetroSA's boss wages war against the media

AfricaOusmane Ndiaye, former Africa head of TV5 Monde, takes up the pen

Central African Republic
Sani Yalo, number one financial backer for Touadéra's re-election campaign

As Faustin-Archange Touadéra prepares for the end of year vote, his party activists have raised €300,000 in support of his candidacy. Minister of State Yalo donated almost a quarter of that sum.

Cameroon, Central African Republic
Russian fuel donation to CAR remains stuck in Cameroon

Russia's donation of fuel to CAR remains in Cameroon, which fears some of it could be sold on the local market and possibly spark US sanctions. Neptune Oil has been tasked with getting it to Bangui.

Central African Republic
Bangui drinking water project held up due to Touadéra's missing signature

The Saep Bangui II project, which involves building a drinking water supply system in the capital, was discussed this month in a meeting between Minister Arthur Bertrand Piri and an African Development Bank team.

Cameroon, Central African Republic
Behind the scenes of the chaotic delivery of Russia's oil donation

The story of Russia's fuel donation to the Central African Republic is far from over. After a difficult arrival at the port of Limbé in Cameroon, Bangui may decide to sell some of the goods locally.

Central African Republic
IMF's visit focusing on the hydrocarbon sector's problems

In Bangui until 16 January, a team from the International Monetary Fund are holding a series of meetings with officials and players in the oil sector.

Central African Republic
IMF sends last-ditch mission to Bangui

A team from the International Monetary Fund is due in the Central African Republic on 9 January to try to reestablish dialogue. Relations between the financial institution and Bangui have been strained for many months due to a failure to reform the country's fuel prices.

Central African Republic
IMF denies CAR millions of dollars in aid due to Neptune Oil's continuing monopoly

The International Monetary Fund is unlikely to release its third instalment of aid, depriving Bangui of around $20m. At issue is the Cameroonian company Neptune Oil's monopoly on fuel imports and its pump prices, deemed exorbitant.

Central Africa
CEMAC heads of state to discuss Gabon and Congo's debts

Libreville and Brazzaville have strayed from the convergence criteria of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa. The issue will be discussed at an extraordinary summit in Yaoundé next week.

Palace Intrigues
Faustin-Archange Touadéra, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi

Intrigues big and small – every Thursday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.

CARTouadéra's party raises funds for Independence Day parade

CongoSassou back in Paris for Notre-Dame re-opening

SomaliaMinisterial battle heats up for appointment of Geneva rep

Central African Republic
Ghanaian company to make prepayment meters for Enerca

Alpha TND's contract is worth $1.5m.

Central African Republic
Wave of arrests of Lebanese workers sparked by rivalries within the diaspora

Many foreign employees at the Bangui Mall, who had visas but not residency permits, were arrested on 5 November. The heavy-handed round-up angered the owner of the shopping centre but boosted the profits of the company that produces official documents for the state.

Palace Intrigues
Faustin-Archange Touadéra, Patrice Talon, Othman Benjelloun

Intrigues big and small – every Thursday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.

CARTouadéra and presidential party contribute to adviser's funeral

BeninTalon to receive French ambassador's credentials

MoroccoBank of Africa boss Othman Benjelloun as sought-after as ever

Central African Republic
Neptune Oil manoeuvres to become SOCASP shareholder

CAR energy minister Arthur Bertrand Piri is continuing to push for Cameroon's Neptune Oil to be allowed to take shares in Société Centrafrique de Stockage des Produits Pétroliers. But his latest attempt at a SOCASP shareholders' meeting in late October failed.

Central African Republic
Tamoil petrol stations taken over as CAR's fuel crisis continues

Amid a major fuel shortage in the Central African Republic, Energy Minister Arthur Bertrand Piri decided to requisition six Tamoil petrol stations and give three of them to Prisca Mamadou, an influential businesswoman and wife to the head of the country's armed forces.

Central African Republic
Cameroon's Neptune Oil under pressure in CAR

Faced with a worsening fuel crisis, Central African Republic lawmakers and the IMF want Energy Minister Arthur Bertrand Piri to end an exclusive deal with Cameroon's Neptune Oil.

Central African Republic
Discreet Parisian meeting between Touadéra and Tamoil RCA boss

Enguerrand Rochefort met the CAR president in Paris last week to discuss the problems his company faces in the Central African market.

Central African Republic
Energy minister Piri thwarts Rochefort International's revival plans

The Paris-based investment bank is struggling to revive TotalEnergies' former subsidiary in the Central African Republic. The energy ministry has decided to go with a single fuel supplier, Cameroon's Neptune Oil, to the detriment of the distributor's margins.