Nicolas Sarkozy

Mohamed el-Hadi Chemaou joins board of Orbis Promotion 

The discreet businessman has for several years been managing the luxurious two-storey flat of Mohammed VI's cousin, Prince Moulay Ismail. He has now joined the board of the prince's property company.

• IVORY COAST - Ouattara takes a new break in France

• CONGO - Macron to beat Sarkozy... for shortest visit

• MOROCCO/SPAIN - Second time lucky for Sanchez and the king in Rabat?

Hollande could join Merkel in Yamoussoukro 

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel is due in Yamoussoukro on 8 February to receive the Félix-Houphouët Boigny Prize from UNESCO at the invitation of President Alassane Ouattara. She may see a familiar face there: that of former French president François Hollande

Ivorian high society haunt Sofitel Abidjan to be closed for renovation 

The Accor hotel group plans to close the Sofitel Hotel Ivoire Abidjan for a major renovation before the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, which is due to take place in Abidjan in January 2024.

Ismael Bah plays middleman between junta and French senators 

Straddling Conakry and Paris, the Franco-Guinean national has persuaded France's Senate to host a symposium on Guinea's transition. Supported by Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya's junta, he is banking on Prime Minister Bernard Goumou making an appearance at the event that is set to take place in March.

David Martinon tipped to be France's next ambassador in South Africa 

David Martinon is being considered for the post of French ambassador in South Africa following his forced return to Paris from Afghanistan. Several candidates have been under consideration since mid-September after Aurélien Lechevallier departed to head up the Directorate General for Globalisation.

Bruno Le Maire's Ivorian agenda 

France's economy minister Bruno Le Maire will travel to Abidjan on 18 December to attend the launch of the third phase of upgrade works at Félix Houphouët-Boigny international airport.

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.

Sassou to meet Macron in Paris on 17 December 

The French presidential palace is to host Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso on 17 December, on his return from the US-Africa summit in Washington, for a tête-à-tête with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Tshisekedi's intriguing new aircraft brokers 

A new company has been set up whose ostensible purpose is to acquire aircraft for the Congolese leader's second presidential bid in December 2023. Pulling the strings of this discreet enterprise is a 'friend' who previously navigated the murky business waters of Gaddafi's Libya.

Swiss court upholds $1.5m fine on businessman Mohamed Ghanem 

Fined heavily by a Swiss court, Ghanem has made a name for himself in Bahrain, where he is on good terms with the authorities.

'Ill-Gotten Gains': Malabo throws in the towel 

The Equatorial Guinean vice-minister of justice has just parted ways with lawyer Kevin Grossmann, who since 2021 has been Malabo's lawyer in the matter of the building at 42 Avenue Foch in Paris, seized from the VP Teodorin Obiang Nguema in the "Ill-Gotten Gains" case.

Magistrate Serge Tournaire takes on 'ill-gotten gains' African files 

The examining magistrate that the presidents of Brazzaville and Libreville least wanted to see take over the African hearings of the 'ill-gotten cases', Serge Tournaire, is now handling the investigation.

• FRANCE/NIGER - Macron's discreet dinner with Bazoum

• LIBERIA/USA - Weah seeks face-to-face with Harris

• FRANCE/DRC - Hollande on billionaire-sponsored PR trip to see Mukwege

• TOGO - DSK home from home in Lomé

• IVORY COAST - Cesareo, Houphouët-Boigny-era master builder, passes away 

• CONGO/FRANCE - Denis Sassou Nguesso invites Sarkozy to stay

• EQUATORIAL GUINEA - VP Teodorin Obiang holidays in Lisbon 

• CONGO/DRC - François Beya looked after by JDO

• BENIN/GUINEA -  Thomas Boni Yayi enlists daughter in mediation

Beny Steinmetz's group tries to appeal in Paris over Simandou iron arbitration 

After losing to the Guinean state, which it accuses of expropriation, the Franco-Israeli billionaire's company, Beny Steinmetz Group Resources (BSGR), is seeking to overturn the decision of the World Bank arbitration tribunal. It is invoking the out-of-court settlement obtained by Nicolas Sarkozy in 2019.

French financial prosecution service to investigate corruption suspicions in Commisimpex affair 

The French financial prosecution service has instructed an examining magistrate to investigate the 2013 arbitration ruling ordering the Republic of the Congo to pay €1.5bn to Commisimpex, a construction company owned by Lebanese businessman Mohsen Hojeij.