Commonwealth

Tanzania
PM Nchemba seeks new investors in London

The Tanzanian prime minister spent five days in the UK in early October promoting investment in his country, but did not manage to secure a meeting with a representative of the British government.

Somaliland
Israel's invisible diplomatic presence in Hargeisa

Nearly ten months after Benjamin Netanyahu recognised Somaliland, the opening of an Israeli embassy in the self-proclaimed republic remains a distant prospect. Despite its stated ambitions, the Jewish state's diplomatic influence on the continent is struggling to take shape.

West Africa
UK parliament releases initial report in Sahel inquiry

Announced in July by the House of Commons’ International Development Committee, the inquiry set up to assess the UK’s footprint in the Sahel is preparing to release information gathered by its teams on the issue over the past few months.

Sudan
UK tries to steady talks after rumours spark anger

London's dialogue process with Sudanese civil society is turning into a political headache amid a climate of deep mistrust. A rumoured invitation to the Quartet, which in fact was not included in the July meeting, has stirred tensions.

Africa
London appoints new minister to guide Africa policy

Recently installed British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is putting the last touches on his government and has assigned a new minister of state to the Africa portfolio.

Cameroon
Brussels finally clears path for budget support release

The €15m pledged by the European Union is set to be unlocked, with the disbursement conditional on Cameroon making progress in the fight against Russia's shadow fleet.

The New Guard
Rwanda, Morocco, Zambia

Every Wednesday, Africa Intelligence spotlights a new generation of movers and shakers in business and politics.

RwandaNelly Mukazayire, Paul Kagame's multi-tasking minister

MoroccoAmine Kandil, the kingdom's new ‘data centre guru'

ZambiaJosiah Kalala, the constitutional expert with an influential network

Africa
Tel Aviv strives to salvage its economic diplomacy

Recognising the difficulties of trading with the continent, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is taking steps to help private companies secure more business. The new ambassador in charge of these issues will however need to contend with a lack of financial and human resources in carrying out his mission.

Tanzania
BRICS competition and instability put Western backers on alert

The violence that marred the end of October general elections has led some countries to reconsider their support for the country. Faced with the difficulty of withdrawing donations and loans, the IMF, like other organisations, is stalling.

Cameroon
Government makes vain attempts at opening dialogue with Anglophone separatists

After years of playing the security response card, the secretary-general to president Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh has made a timid overture to the leaders of the northwest and southwest regions, namely Sisiku Ayuk Tabe. The aim is to counter Issa Tchiroma Bakary's growing influence in these English-speaking regions.