Alassane Ouattara

Ivory Coast
Ivorian cocoa industry leaders receive last-minute invite to Johannesburg

A business forum is being organised in Johannesburg to promote partnerships between South Africa and Ivory Coast during Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara's South African visit of 18 to 22 July to his counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa.

Palace Intrigues
Emmanuel Macron, Tidjane Thiam, Mohammed VI

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

France/Cameroon Emmanuel Macron's agenda in Yaoundé

Ivory Coast Ex-banker Tidjane Thiam soon in Abidjan

Morocco/France Mohammed VI and Macron fail to meet

West Africa
Abidjan and Accra allied against multinationals in new cocoa war

The heads of Ghana Cocobod and Ivory Coast's Conseil Café Cacao were in Accra last week to refine their joint strategy in the face of the industry's trading giants and industrialists, who are considering diversifying their supplies elsewhere.

West Africa
ECOWAS leaders at loggerheads over successor to Akufo-Addo

The summit in Accra on 3 July should officialise the appointment of a new ECOWAS chairperson to succeed the Ghanaian Nana Akufo-Addo as well of new commissioners for the regional organisation. Two electric subjects that have greatly increased tensions between West Africa's leaders.

Guinea, West Africa
Doumbouya confident of facing down ECOWAS

ECOWAS leaders are making no secret of their irritation with the head of the Guinean transition Mamadi Doumbouya, who has disregarded their calls for a short transition period. He believes his country has sufficient cards in its hand to weather any potential sanctions.

Africa, Europe
Groupe Agir Europe-Afrique puts positive spin on African elections

The association, which is officially based in France and coordinated by the Ivorian Jean Amoikon Eba, has been observing elections across the African continent for the last decade.

Ivory Coast
Arrests linked to cocaine trafficking investigation send Freemasons into turmoil

The arrest and the indictment of several influential members of Ivory Coast's main masonic lodge, the Grande Loge de Côte d'Ivoire, last month as part of an investigation into a cocaine seizure in April in Abidjan has put Grand Master Sylvere Koyo in a tight spot.

Spotlight | Chad
Middleman Chafi comes to Qatar's rescue in the Chadian 'pre-dialogue' process in Doha

The best-connected intermediary in the Sahel, Mustapha Chafi, has been asked by Qatar to try to get the Chadian "pre-dialogue" process back on the rails, as it drags on without result to the despair of the authorities.

France, Ivory Coast
Ouattara takes keen interest in French tax probe into Propharmed

Propharmed, a pharmaceutical wholesaler being probed by the French tax authorities for not paying VAT on drugs it exports to Africa, has close links to the Ivorian president's office, which is anxiously monitoring the investigation.

Ivory Coast
Ouattara makes key new appointments at his embassy in Paris

Following his appointment of a new consul general at the French embassy in Paris in February, Alassane Ouattara has promoted one of his generals as head of the military mission there.