Mahamoud Ali Youssouf

Djibouti, Somalia
President Guelleh walks a fine line on Somali crisis

The head of state is caught between his Somali counterpart and ally Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and the Galmudug leader Qoor Qoor, to whom his son-in-law is particularly close. For now, he has chosen to err on the side of caution.

Palace Intrigues
William Ruto, Emmanuel Macron, Aya Nakamura

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

Africa ForwardThe very diplomatic seating plan for heads of state dinner

KenyaRaila Odinga Junior on a fact-finding mission at the Africa-France summit

MaliSinger Aya Nakamura finalises her own documentary ahead of her three Paris shows

Ethiopia
Macron to stop off in Addis on business

The French head of state plans to stop over in Ethiopia's capital after the Africa Forward summit on 11 and 12 May in Nairobi. He will be escorted by a small number of carefully selected companies on this short visit.

Madagascar
Ex-foreign minister Christine Razanamahasoa eyes diplomatic return

With strong ties to Western partners, the minister, replaced by Alice N'Diaye at the last reshuffle, is poised to re-emerge on the international stage.

Madagascar
SADC tasks Malawi's former president with mission to Antananarivo

Joyce Banda is visiting Madagascar as part of a Southern African Development Community Panel of Elders mission. This visit forms part of a series of consultations aimed at assessing the political situation in Madagascar.

Africa
AU health body chief in the crosshairs of the Commission

Criticised since taking charge of the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Congolese doctor Jean Kaseya is facing fresh allegations brought to the attention of the chair of the African Union Commission.

Africa
Macky Sall's push to lead UN sparks divisions within AU

The pan-African organisation, along with several of its member countries, has expressed surprise at the methods used to select the former Senegalese president as Africa's candidate for the position of United Nations Secretary-General.

Ethiopia
African Union's precarious position on Tigray's rising tensions

The African leaders meeting in mid-February in the Ethiopian capital, which hosts the HQ of the pan-African organisation, were careful to avoid the subject of the crisis in the north of the country.

Madagascar
Junta and Rajoelina face off from afar at SADC and AU

Colonel Michaël Randrianirina must submit a detailed roadmap for the transition by the end of February, as demanded by the regional organisation of Southern African states, while the African Union is not currently considering lifting Madagascar's suspension.

Kenya, Madagascar
Dilemma over sending Africa-France summit invite to Malagasy junta

Suspended from the African Union following Colonel Michael Randrianirina's seizure of power, Madagascar remains excluded from the organisation's bodies until the next elections. As such, the Kenyan government is hesitant to invite the junta to the talks, despite Paris's more favourable position.