Inner circles | Angola
Lourenço's drive for greater regional influence begins to pay off

Angola
Lourenço completes diplomatic overhaul with appointments to Lusaka, Pretoria and Washington

The Angolan president has completed the revamp of his diplomatic network with a fresh round of ambassadorial appointments. The new envoys to the United States, South Africa, Austria, Norway, Serbia and Zambia include politicians, technocrats and regime loyalists.

Angola
Lourenço and foreign minister António reshape Luanda's diplomatic corps

The Angolan president is continuing to revamp his diplomatic network around the world, with the heads of the main embassies expected to include technocrats, politicians and people close to foreign minister Tete António.

The New Guard
Uganda, Angola, Zimbabwe, Congo

Uganda
Proscovia Nabbanja, the prominent national oil company boss.

Angola
Manuel Gomes da Conceicao Homem, governor of Lourenço's Luanda aspirations.

Zimbabwe
Chief Koti, Harare's tourism strategist.

Congo
Michrist Kaba-Mboko, Congolese youth's new champion.

Angola
Will Angolan diamonds of Russia's Alrosa soon be scrutinised by the Kimberley Process?

The risk of seeing diamonds produced by Russian group Alrosa, including in Angola, being used to finance Russia's war on Ukraine has brought a reaction from the civil society coalition monitoring implementation of the Kimberley Process.

Angola
Faced with a shortage of bids, Lourenço is forced to deal with dos Santos-era executives

Angolan companies with sufficient funds to develop blocks remain few and far between. As such the Angolan administration must make do with bids from firms with strong ties to the former regime.

Angola
Politically-minded Antunes Paulo Monteiro moves into diamonds in partnership with powerful Ranque Franque clan

A former MPLA member turned deputy chair of Angola's monarchist party, Antunes Paulo Monteiro has recently set up two mining project management companies. His partners in this business venture are members of the powerful Cabindan Ranque Franque family.

Angola, DRC
Lourenço assigns Tete António to oversee oil relations with Tshisekedi

The recently sacked Angolan foreign affairs minister Manuel Domingos Augusto had been fighting for the past two years to make sure the Kabila-era oil deal was kept as is.