Emmanuel Macron

Madagascar
Royal relics restitution ceremony to take place in Paris

After being postponed in April, the ceremony for the restitution of Saklava King Toera's sacred remains will in the end take place in the French capital, at the Ministry of Culture, with Rachida Dati and Volamiranty Donna Mara in attendance.

Morocco
Nasser Bourita prepares Paris visit

Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita is preparing a visit to Paris, notably to discuss the Moroccan autonomy plan for Western Sahara, which is supported by Emmanuel Macron.

DRC, Rwanda
Paris postpones humanitarian conference on eastern DRC

While Qatar's mediation efforts have resulted in a ceasefire agreement between M23 rebels and Kinshasa, France has postponed its planned humanitarian conference on the crisis in DRC's eastern provinces until September.

Algeria
French senator Mellouli's fresh efforts to thaw Paris-Algiers relations

The French parliament is setting up a new delegation to head to Algeria. This despite there being no hint of interest in improving relations from the two country's presidencies.

Comoros islands, Kenya
Macron's Africa adviser on mini-tour of East Africa

After visiting the Comoros on 6 July, Jérémie Robert ended his trip to East Africa in Nairobi. Among the burning issues discussed was the summit that Paris wishes to organise at the end of July on the topic of the crisis in eastern DRC.

Palace Intrigues
Alassane Ouattara, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, Faure Gnassingbé

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

Ivory CoastAlassane Ouattara on personal visit to France

CongoUNESCO: Denis Sassou-Ngesso's candidate makes a stop at the Grand Orient de France

West AfricaECOWAS 50th anniversary summit on hold

Madagascar
Behind the scenes of the foreign minister's visit to Paris

In addition to the meeting on the Scattered Islands, which the two foreign ministers chaired, Jean-Noël Barrot and his Malagasy counterpart, Rasata Rafaravavitafika, held a closed-door lunch meeting.

Botswana
Paris appoints its future head of mission in Gaborone

In August, Valérie Baraban will become France's ambassador to Botswana, replacing Olivier Brochenin.

Egypt
First delivery of French wheat for Egyptian military

European traders Soufflet and Louis Dreyfus are about to dispatch 180,000 tonnes of wheat from French ports, a symbolic victory for the Mostakbal Misr agency, which is struggling to impose its credibility.

Ethiopia
French employers' federation to hold major conference with European investors

Under the watchful eye of Paris and Brussels, the French employers' association, Medef, is working on organising a European forum in the French capital, with the hope of reviving private investment in Addis Ababa.

Ghana
New French ambassador chosen to head mission in Accra

Jules-Armand Aniambossou is on the way out and is set to be replaced by the current second in command of the Africa unit at the Élysée.

Ethiopia
French firms remain sceptical about pace of Abiy's reform programme

Exchange rate liberalisation, the main condition for Ethiopia to get an extended credit facility from the IMF, has not yet fully borne fruit. Foreign companies, already among the country's largest taxpayers, have to pay a high price for their foreign currency.