UN

Ethiopia, Gabon, Senegal
African battle for coveted UNESCO post

Divisions have arisen over who should become the next assistant director-general of the Priority Africa and External Relations Department at the UN institution, with the prospect a possible face-off between Ethiopia and Gabon.

The New Guard
Congo, Guinea, Burundi, Kenya

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

Congo Michel Djombo becomes the bosses' boss

Guinea Lionel Chobli picked to roll out fibre optic

Burundi Evrard Havyarimana boosts business links for Burundi diaspora in France

Kenya Carolyne Kamende Daudi at heart of the trial of the year

Algeria, Niger, Nigeria
Algeria and Nigeria maintain Trans-Saharan pipeline illusion to counter rival Moroccan project

Ministerial meetings, reassuring reminders, a technical study... Official communications from both Algiers and Abuja about the progress of the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline are in stark contrast to the security reality on the ground. Both countries play this down in a bid to outdo a rival Nigeria-Morocco project, which is just as hypothetical.

Ghana, West Africa
Akufo-Addo to host next UN peacekeeping summit

The Ghanaian capital has been chosen to host the next edition of the UN Ministerial Conference on Peacekeeping. It should take place in the first week of December 2023.

Guinea
Rio Tinto seeks UN support at Simandou

Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto just approached UN Capital Development Fund for help developping projects for the local population around the enormous Simandou iron deposit in Guinea.

Senegal
Senegindia under opposition fire in Saint Louis

An agricultural collective has accused the Indian-owned firm of illegally acquiring a significant piece of land in the northwest. With help from major opposition figures, they plan to take the case to the Supreme Court.

West Africa
French Order of Malta to get new international director

General Thierry Lion is shortly due to take over the as international director at the French Order of Malta. He will replace François Vuillemin, who will remain in his post until the end of December.

Africa
Wiliam Ruto and Azali Assoumani play cat and mouse over AU 2023 chairmanship

The presidents of Kenya and the Comoros both want to propel their country to the head of the African Union for 2023, but they have been avoiding each other and their advisors have not been able to reach any agreement.

Libya
Libyan special envoys descend on Tunis

Abdoulaye Bathily, the head of the United Nations mission in Libya, has invited special envoys for the country to a gathering in Tunis on 8 December.

Central African Republic
CAR army set to take over French military base in M'poko

The departure of French forces from the M'poko military base at Bangui airport is due to be completed by the end of December. The Forces Armées Centrafricaines (FACA) are hoping to recover the installation, despite Paris' misgivings.

Egypt
Youssef, Zahran, Badawy among possible candidates to replace Foreign Minister Shoukry

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is on his way out. His successor is likely to be recruited from among the ambassadors posted in countries that Cairo sees as strategic.

Chad, France
Emmanuel Macron has renewed contact with Mahamat Idriss Deby

After several weeks of uneasy relations between Paris and N'Djamena, the French president spoke on the telephone with Mahamat Idriss Deby in mid-November. A main topic of conversation was how to get groups which did not sign the Doha peace agreement in August involved again in the national dialogue process.

Senegal, Switzerland
Switzerland opts to hold violent extremism prevention conference in Dakar

The Swiss foreign affairs department is currently preparing a regional conference on dialogue and security in Africa, which will be held in Dakar in February 2023.

South Sudan
South Sudan on borrowed time with AU Peace and Security Council

The African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) is due to meet tomorrow morning, 30 November, to discuss the elections in South Sudan.