Spotlight | Southern Africa
Macron sets course for Indian Ocean's southern islands

Comoros islands
Moroni fears Mayotte issue will surface at Africa Forward summit

Ahead of the France-Africa summit, scheduled to take place in Kenya on 11 and 12 May, the Comoros is apprehensive about Paris bringing up the question of the Indian Ocean archipelago, a French department, that the Comoros claims as its own.

Mauritius
French president steps up cultural heritage cooperation

During his visit to Mauritius, the French president will discuss the long-term loan of around 50 19th-century plaster busts depicting slaves from East Africa.

Madagascar
Contentious compensation talks continue with France over Scattered Islands

Antananativo is looking for financial compensation in addition to the return of the disputed islets in the Mozambique Channel. So far, Paris has only taken note of the request.

Madagascar
The Scattered Islands: Paris puts final touches on its list of negotiators

The joint commission, held in Paris on 30 June, is to rule on the restitution of the Scattered Islands. The names of the participants are still being kept secret.

Madagascar
Who will lead the Scattered Islands mixed commission?

The Franco-Malagasy mixed commission, charged with adjudicating on the handing over of the Scattered Islands, under French sovereignty but claimed by Madagascar since 1970, will meet on 30 June in Paris.

Mauritius
Macron to make stop at Port Louis before November's G20 in Johannesburg

The French president plans to make a diversion to Mauritius before heading to the summit in South Africa.

Comoros islands
Royal links and presidential ties helped Terminals Holding win Moroni airport deal

The Emirati conglomerate, which has close ties with the Abu Dhabi royal family, took possession of the international airport after a long rapprochement with the Comorian presidency.

Congo
Denis Sassou-Nguesso to meet with Macron in Paris on 24 May

The Congolese president will finally travel to Paris on 23-24 May, his trip having been postponed twice.

Palace Intrigues
Denis Sassou-Nguesso, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Félix Tshisekedi

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

CongoJetsetter Sassou off to Paris and then Moscow

GabonMahamadou Bonkoungou, indispensable backer of Oligui Nguema

DRCEmirati ambassador conducts his diplomacy outside Kinshasa

Madagascar
Academic Mbembe visits Antananarivo to open branch of Macron's African democratic foundation

Achille Mbembe, a leading political scientist and historian from Cameroon, visited the Malagasy capital at the start of March to open the local branch of the Innovation for Democracy Foundation, of which he is MD.

Madagascar
Belgian businessman jailed over land dispute

David Verly was placed under arrest on 9 January and will be tried in Antananarivo on 17 March in connection with a dispute over land on the island of Nosy Be.

Madagascar
Next Indian Ocean Commission summit pencilled in for April

Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina recently proposed several dates in April 2025 to his fellow heads of state for the 5th Summit of the Indian Ocean Commission and now awaits confirmation.