Covid-19

Somalia
Ambassadors close to Farmajo's master spy to be shown the door

The new president of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, will soon name new ambassadors in the Gulf States in order to balance out his political influence in the region.

South Africa
Secretary of Defence Kudjoe quietly steps down in a storm of criticism

Sonto Kudjoe, ex-SSA director, submitted her resignation to Thandi Modise after being lambasted for her ministerial bookkeeping and threatened with a lawsuit.

The New Guard
Ivory Coast, Egypt, Kenya, Madagascar

Every Wednesday, Africa Intelligence spotlights a new generation of movers and shakers in business and politics. This week: Pauline Zei (Ivory Coast), Ahmed Luxor (Egypt), Veronica Kariuki (Kenya) and Ranto Andriambololona (Madagascar).

Ivory Coast Pauline Zei, spokeswoman for cocoa growers

Egypt Ahmed Luxor, a PR veteran putting Egypt's richest in the frame

Kenya Veronica Kariuki, a bridge between Paris and Nairobi

Madagascar Ranto Andriambololona, AI left, right and centre

Uganda
World Bank stumps up funds to tackle rising poverty

The financial institution has approved significant funding to revive agriculture in Uganda. Productivity has stagnated in recent years and tangibly affected the general standard of living.

Central Africa
SICPA wins Central African CFA franc security contract

The highly secretive Swiss certification and document athentication company, which has a strong presence in the bank note security market, has won a contract to protect the authenticity of Central Africa's new CFA franc bank notes, which are due to start being issued in mid-December.

South Africa
Pretoria's international cooperation fund struggles to make its mark

The government's African Renaissance and International Cooperation Fund was intended as an instrument of soft power across the continent, but its track record is rather underwhelming.

Madagascar
Egypt's EGAAD consortium to build new motorway and invest in local medicine production

EGAAD director general Reda Boulos is carrying out new projects in Madagascar. His group is to take part in the construction of a new motorway between Antananarivo and the port of Toamasina, and negotiating to set up a PPP to invest in the Pharmalagasy pharmaceuticals plant.

Djibouti
Red Sea Power, the owner of the Ghoubet wind farm, starts off in the red

On 19 October, the Djibouti company Red Sea Power, owner and operator of the Ghoubet wind farm, confirmed, filed and certified its accounts for the year 2021.

Cameroon, Central Africa
Yaoundé convinces CEMAC to postpone its timber export ban

A ministerial meeting of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa on 28 October decided to postpone indefinitely the introduction of a ban on log exports - a decision demanded particularly by Cameroon.

The New Guard
Senegal, Egypt and Namibia

Every Wednesday, Africa Intelligence reveals the next generation of movers and shakers in business and politics.

Senegal Sijh Diagne, former diaspora banker maps out post Covid-19 recovery plan

Egypt Tino Abdellatif Waked, driving Uber's African growth

Namibia Maggy Shino, young advocate for Namibian gas

Egypt Nada El Ahwal, heiress to a shipping logistics empire

Angola
Angolan oil junior Somoil opens up under boss Dos Santos Sousa

After keeping a low profile for years and nearly going under during the pandemic, Angola's biggest private company Somoil is reinventing itself and opening up under its director general, a former ExxonMobil executive.

Inner circles | South Africa
Armscor leaders overwhelmed by demands of South Africa's decrepit military

South Africa's cash-starved arms procurement agency, whose largely civilian management is far removed from the realities of the military world, is struggling to deliver the overhaul the defence force desperately needs.