Ouattara

Ivory Coast
French arms specialist Sofema begins new sales drive

The French reconditioned defence equipment specialist plans to send a team to Abidjan in early October to try to regain market share in Ivory Coast. The armoured vehicles market, where it faces competition from China's Norinco and Turkey's Otokar, is its main target

Ivory Coast
Abidjan keeps up cocoa pressure on Brussels

As the start of the 2023-2024 cocoa season approaches, the Conseil Café-Cacao is stepping up pressure on the EU by continuing its blockade of forward sales of cocoa beans.

Ivory Coast
Security forces buy further drones to patrol northern border and Africa Cup of Nations

The Ivorian gendarmerie has acquired Chinese and Hungarian drones, as well as anti-drone systems from France - and it's all to secure the northern border when Abidjan hosts the Africa Cup of Nations tournament next year.

Palace Intrigues
Denis Sassou-Nguesso, Alassane Ouattara, Félix Tshisekedi, Vincent de Paul Massassa

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

Congo Influential Julienne Johnson becomes an official adviser to her father

Ivory Coast Ouattara's former special adviser Serey-Eiffel back in Abidjan

DRC Tshisekedi's favourite luxury hotels in the Big Apple

Gabon Vincent de Paul Massassa makes a final, quick trip to oil ministry

Ivory Coast
Vice President Tiémoko Meyliet Koné set to attend UN General Assembly

Vice President Tiemoko Meyliet Koné will represent Alassane Ouattara at the next UN General Assembly in New York in late September.

Ivory Coast
On a visit to Brussels, Conseil Café Cacao revives battle with EU

Ivorian cocoa industry leaders have met European officials to demand recognition of their traceability system and an increase in the subsidy for sustainable cocoa. If it's not granted, they are threatening to continue blocking forward sales.

Palace Intrigues
Joseph Kabila, Mahamadou Issoufou, Aya Nakamura, Azali Assoumani

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

DRCJoseph Kabila's spymaster Kalev Mutond in Paris

NigerCoup leaders differ over Issoufou's future

CongoSassous behind French pop star Aya Nakamura's Brazzaville show

African UnionFallout over G20 summit

Gabon, Ivory Coast
Gabonese presidential campaign strains Abidjan-Libreville relations

An audio recording, purportedly of a discussion between Gabonese opposition politicians Albert Ondo Ossa and Alexandre Barro-Chambrier, led to Libreville's foreign minister asking the Ivorian ambassador to explain himself.

Ivory Coast
Ouattara mandates Standard Chartered to raise €813m

Ivory Coast plans to raise more than €800m in syndicated debt at a time when the country's public finances are in difficulty and the government is struggling to pay its domestic debt.

Ivory Coast
French head of Millennium Challenge Account steps down, due to Biden administration's wishes

French national Florence Rajan-Haudebert had been head of Ivory Coast's Millennium Challenge Account, an important tool for cooperation between Washington and Abidjan, since 2018, but was recently forced to step down.

Ivory Coast
Ouattara eager to settle tax dispute with Cargill

The Ivorian president is keen for the US trader, which has been accused of failing to pay its taxes, to put its affairs in order. The US ambassador in Abidjan is keeping a close eye on developments.