UGTT trade union at heart of economic and political negotiations with Kais Saied

• IVORY COAST - Banker Ibrahim Magassa wins ticket to Washington.
  

• GABON - Emmanuel Leroueil takes charge of oil dealmaking at the presidency.
  

• NAMIBIA - Ephraim Nekongo brings youth vote to Namibia's top presidential contender.

• TUNISIA - Ex-investment banker Donia Kaouach campaigns for women and peace.
  

France holds up €50m Tunisian loan because of traceability concerns 

France promised to loan Tunisia €100m at the end of 2020. It paid out the first installment in 2021 but has delayed paying out the estimated €50m second tranche. The loan, the first part of which was released in 2021, was part of a "public policy" package but aid of this kind is subject to strict traceability and management criteria which Tunisia's state-owned enterprises are unable to guarantee at present. [...]

Saïed's supporters set their campaign in motion ahead of legislative elections 

Members of the president's inner circle have been busy preparing for the upcoming parliamentary elections by launching a new initiative with the aim not only of spreading the president's political vision but of winning seats in the new parliament. [...]

UGTT union unable to unite over Kais Saied's referendum 

The numerous political factions within the main Tunisian worker's union, UGTT, are making it hard to give its members any sort of instruction on how to vote on the constitutional referendum scheduled on 25 July. [...]

Tunis seeks backers for struggling PPP infrastructure projects 

In addition to existing projects such as the Sfax tramway and desalination plants, the Tunisian government has several longer-term ecological and energy-based ideas in the pipeline. These include a phosphate pipeline facility and the development of green hydrogen. [...]

• SOUTH AFRICA - Geordin Hill-Lewis, mayor and rising opposition social-media star

• NIGERIA - Dozy Mmobuosi, leading tech titan

• ZIMBABWE - Simbarashe Gwenzi, youth ambassador from Harare to Addis
  

• TUNISIA - Sayida Ounissi, former Ennahda MP and thorn in Saied's side

Energy minister Neila Gonji pushes industry towards renewable electricity 

The Tunisian government, which is under pressure from its lenders and high gas prices, is trying to speed up construction of new wind and solar power plants, particularly those destined to supply electricity to cement and other industrial producers. [...]

No solution for budget crisis as Mechichi is cold-shouldered by IMF and Ghannouchi by Doha 

Having failed to present a structural reform plan to the International Monetary Fund, Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi is unlikely to get any new budgetary aid in the short term. Parliamentary speaker Rached Ghannouchi, meanwhile, has been unable to obtain support from his allies in Qatar. [...]