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Benin

Military equipment specialist Marck opens first African branch in Abidjan

French military equipment producer Marck opened its first unit outside of France in Abidjan in June, the Compagnie Africaine de Défense et de Sécurité.

Subscribers only Defence, Business 23.06.2020

Governments seek guidance on hidden pitfalls of G20 debt moratorium

For African countries, taking advantage of the G20 moratorium on bilateral debt during the Covid-19 pandemic could lead to unforeseen consequences, especially in terms of their credit ratings. A number of banks and law firms have been guiding them through this financial minefield.

Subscribers only Finance, Business Running story - Debt diplomacy 22.06.2020

Action Air keen to deploy its planes over Libreville-to-Dakar coastline

French aerial mapping firm Action Air Environnement, which is already present in Togo, is in talks with Gabon and Senegal about making its observation planes available. The aim is to combat maritime pollution and strengthen coastal surveillance in a region rich in fisheries and oil resources.

Subscribers only Defence, Business 18.06.2020

Operation Barkhane commanders' second life

General Pascal Facon, current commander of Operation Barkhane. © French ministry of armies

Subscribers only Diplomacy Running story - The Sahel security crisis 17.06.2020

Millenium Challenge Corp: Engie and Akuo among eight selected for mini-grid build

Eight foreign power producers and Millennium Challenge Account Benin II (MCA-Benin II) are now days away from signing their co-financing deal delayed by the outbreak of the global Covid-19 pandemic.

Subscribers only Energy, Business 16.06.2020

After Ignace Sossou affair, CFI Media hopes to make a fresh start in Africa

The journalist Ignace Sossou, arrested in December 2019. © Facebook

Subscribers only Politics 15.06.2020

American Hospital of Paris turns itself into Covid-19 treatment centre but not just for VIPs

At the suggestion of several military doctors who had previously been at Paris's Val de Grace Hospital, the privately owned American Hospital of Paris, which has traditionally been a favourite with ailing African VIPs, reinvented itself as a specialised Covid-19 treatment centre for the duration of the crisis

Subscribers only Business 15.06.2020

Avisa Partners brings in former French presidential aides to handle its African business

Avisa Partners, which is tasked with lobbying urgently for Mauritius and organising this year's Dakar peace forum, has put its African business in the hands of two former French presidential aides, Sylvain Fort and Maurice Gourdalt-Montagne.

Subscribers only Politics 12.06.2020

OpinionWay plumps for Abidjan as regional base

In the coming days, the French polling company is due to officially announce the opening of a west African regional office in the Ivorian economic capital.

Subscribers only Business 12.06.2020

June is Sahel month for French diplomats

What with the presidency of the UN Security Council, the renewal of MINUSMA's mandate and the Coalition for the Sahel in June, and the G5 Sahel summit in early July in Mauritania, the Sahel region is set to keep French diplomats very busy during the next few weeks.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 11.06.2020

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Chambrier and Gondjout queen it over African logistics

Roselyne Chambrier Chalobah and Laura Olga Gondjout, both from Gabonese political dynasties which went into opposition, respectively represent the interests of competing African logistics giants Arise P&L and Monaco Resources.

Subscribers only Infrastructure, Business 11.06.2020

Algiers strives to return to centre stage in the Sahel

Algerian president Abdelmadjid Tebboune has been trying for several weeks to bring his influence to bear on the situation in the Sahel. He is relying particularly on African Union peace and security commissioner Smaïl Chergui, who is leading an intense lobbying operation in favour of deployment of a 3,000-strong AU force in the region.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 08.06.2020

Smaïl Chergui, Africa Union peace and security commissioner.

Inner circles
Gagan Gupta's French troops

Though now active in Africa via the three Arise mega-funds, Indian-Singaporean agribusiness giant Olam still relies on French advisors to help guide its path.

Subscribers only Business 04.06.2020

Security Council to probe Sahel army abuses

The United Nations Security Council has set itself a tall task for its 5 June meeting: overview the G5 Sahel States but also look into accusations of abuse against several of the coalition's national armed forces.

Subscribers only Politics, Diplomacy 03.06.2020

Lebanese giant Arabian Construction Co takes first steps in Africa

For a long time a key presence in the United Arab Emirates and then in Saudi Arabia, the Arabian Construction Co conglomerate is seeking to break into the African market.

Subscribers only Business 01.06.2020

Billionaire Konstantin Malofeev turns his attentions to Africa

After getting involved in the pro-Russian Donbass region of Ukraine, the Russian tycoon Konstantin Malofeev has taken an interest in Africa. He has donated two kit-set laboratories to the DRC to help the country fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

Subscribers only Business 28.05.2020

Election high and business low, Patrice Talon's bitter-sweet week

His side may have claimed victory in last week's municipal elections, the Beninese president is not all smiles: he just missed out on a huge agricultural supply contract in Ivory Coast, where his group has lost its main lobbyist.

Subscribers only Business 27.05.2020

Inner circles
Trump and Biden's Africa advisors in 2020 race for White House

Although Africa will play no role in the run-up to the presidential election in November, both main camps have appointed an expert advisor on the continent.

Subscribers only Politics 25.05.2020

Former vice president Joe Biden and President Donald Trump.

Arise Industrial lays the first stone in its future African free zone empire in Akoupé-Zeudji

After setting up Arise Port & Logistics with AP Moller, then Arise Infrastructure, to invest in roads, agricultural trading giant Olam has created a third brand dedicated to industrial free zones. Arise Industrial is preparing to make its first investment in Ivory Coast.

Subscribers only Business 20.05.2020

BNP gives up on idea of single buyer for its West African portfolio

After six months of trying to sell its branches in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea as a single West African portfolio, the French bank BNP Paribas is now looking at options to sell them in batches.

Subscribers only Finance, Business 14.05.2020

WAPP sets up task force for Dorsale Nord project

The West African Power Pool (WAPP) cooperation working to provide a reliable power grid for the region hopes to soon be making headway on the Dorsale Nord interconnector project.

Subscribers only Energy, Business 13.05.2020

Covid-19: Paris works closely with NGOs to develop its health diplomacy

To lay the groundwork for its medical support to African states affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Elysée Palace has set up a coordination cell with eight hand-picked NGOs.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 06.05.2020

French President Emmanuel Macron and Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian in videoconference on the Covid-19 crisis on 4 May 2020.

Norway's Vissim late on anti-piracy surveillance system

Cotonou is still waiting on the Norwegian firm Vissim to deliver its maritime surveillance system, one that could help offshore oil operators in the region, while crime in the Gulf of Guinea shows no signs of abating.

Subscribers only Defence, Business 05.05.2020

After delays, Polytech steps on the gas with army HQ project

The Chinese company Poly Technologies plans to complete the Allada barracks, set to headquarter the general staff of Benin's armed forces, in September 2021. The project, which has fallen behind schedule, is just a small component of a vast defence contract between Benin and China driven by President Patrice Talon and his eminence grise Olivier Boko.

Subscribers only Defence, Politics 30.04.2020

Beninese President Patrice Talon saluting Poly Technologies employees on the Allada barracks site (February 1, 2020).

BCEAO could prove a hurdle for rapper Akon's African cryptocurrency

The "revolutionary" Akoin cryptocurrency that the American rapper Akon is hoping to launch on the continent seems to pay little heed to Africa's existing regulations on digital currencies and may fall foul of African central banks, not least BCEAO.

Subscribers only Finance, Business 27.04.2020

Rapper Akon presenting his Akoin cryptocurrency at the Lisbon WebSummit in November 2019.

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DRC
The Tshisekedi clan's dangerous ties with cobalt looting "cartels"

Gabon
Gunvor secrets (2/2): the hidden clauses of the Assala Energy buyout

Benin

Military equipment specialist Marck opens first African branch in Abidjan

Governments seek guidance on hidden pitfalls of G20 debt moratorium

Action Air keen to deploy its planes over Libreville-to-Dakar coastline

Operation Barkhane commanders' second life

Millenium Challenge Corp: Engie and Akuo among eight selected for mini-grid build

After Ignace Sossou affair, CFI Media hopes to make a fresh start in Africa

American Hospital of Paris turns itself into Covid-19 treatment centre but not just for VIPs

Avisa Partners brings in former French presidential aides to handle its African business

OpinionWay plumps for Abidjan as regional base

June is Sahel month for French diplomats

Chambrier and Gondjout queen it over African logistics

Algiers strives to return to centre stage in the Sahel

Inner circles
Gagan Gupta's French troops

Security Council to probe Sahel army abuses

Lebanese giant Arabian Construction Co takes first steps in Africa

Billionaire Konstantin Malofeev turns his attentions to Africa

Election high and business low, Patrice Talon's bitter-sweet week

Inner circles
Trump and Biden's Africa advisors in 2020 race for White House

Arise Industrial lays the first stone in its future African free zone empire in Akoupé-Zeudji

BNP gives up on idea of single buyer for its West African portfolio

WAPP sets up task force for Dorsale Nord project

Covid-19: Paris works closely with NGOs to develop its health diplomacy

Norway's Vissim late on anti-piracy surveillance system

After delays, Polytech steps on the gas with army HQ project

BCEAO could prove a hurdle for rapper Akon's African cryptocurrency

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About Africa Intelligence

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Africa Intelligence on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

About Africa Intelligence

Subscription

Indigo Publications' websites

DRC The Tshisekedi clan's dangerous ties with cobalt looting "cartels"

Gabon Gunvor secrets (2/2): the hidden clauses of the Assala Energy buyout

Cabo Delgado: a gas Eldorado and security nightmare

The Renaissance Dam – a national symbol but a regional quandary

West African cocoa cartel battles with the traders

Andry Rajoelina

African Development Bank

Paul Biya

Erik Prince

AFRICOM

Benin

Military equipment specialist Marck opens first African branch in Abidjan

Governments seek guidance on hidden pitfalls of G20 debt moratorium

Action Air keen to deploy its planes over Libreville-to-Dakar coastline

Operation Barkhane commanders' second life

Millenium Challenge Corp: Engie and Akuo among eight selected for mini-grid build

After Ignace Sossou affair, CFI Media hopes to make a fresh start in Africa

American Hospital of Paris turns itself into Covid-19 treatment centre but not just for VIPs

Avisa Partners brings in former French presidential aides to handle its African business

OpinionWay plumps for Abidjan as regional base

June is Sahel month for French diplomats

Chambrier and Gondjout queen it over African logistics

Algiers strives to return to centre stage in the Sahel

Inner circles Gagan Gupta's French troops

Security Council to probe Sahel army abuses

Lebanese giant Arabian Construction Co takes first steps in Africa

Billionaire Konstantin Malofeev turns his attentions to Africa

Election high and business low, Patrice Talon's bitter-sweet week

Inner circles Trump and Biden's Africa advisors in 2020 race for White House

Arise Industrial lays the first stone in its future African free zone empire in Akoupé-Zeudji

BNP gives up on idea of single buyer for its West African portfolio

WAPP sets up task force for Dorsale Nord project

Covid-19: Paris works closely with NGOs to develop its health diplomacy

Norway's Vissim late on anti-piracy surveillance system

After delays, Polytech steps on the gas with army HQ project

BCEAO could prove a hurdle for rapper Akon's African cryptocurrency

Create a notification

About Africa Intelligence

Subscription

Africa Intelligence on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

DRC
The Tshisekedi clan's dangerous ties with cobalt looting "cartels"

Gabon
Gunvor secrets (2/2): the hidden clauses of the Assala Energy buyout

Inner circles
Gagan Gupta's French troops

Inner circles
Trump and Biden's Africa advisors in 2020 race for White House