United Nations

Mali
MINUSMA likely to stay put until next year

Operationally hamstrung by the junta in Bamako and lacking a clear political objective given the fragility of the Algiers accord, the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali is nevertheless expected to remain in place, at least until 2024.

The New Guard
The New Guard: Angola, Morocco, Madagascar and Kenya

Every Wednesday, Africa Intelligence spotlights a new generation of movers and shakers in business and politics.

AngolaWalter Pacheco, the rising star of Angolan finance

MoroccoMeryem Rami Yahyaoui, the trade minister's international asset

MadagascarMarie-Christina Kolo, eco-feminist and climate activist in chief

KenyaAngel Mbuthia, Madame President

Somalia
UN special envoy to Somalia role draws seasoned applicants

Six candidates are in the running for the position of UN Special Representative for Somalia, which has been vacant since US diplomat James Swan left in October 2022. His replacement has to be approved by all the permanent members of the UN security council.

African Union, Congo, Libya
Sassou appoints special adviser Joly to work on Libya

As the chairman of the African Union's committee on Libya, the Congolese president is now relying on his special adviser Françoise Joly to monitor developments in Libya.

Tunisia
Khayam Turki's myriad networks at heart of Tunis investigations

Tunisian investigators are particularly keen to question Khayam Turki, the first person to be arrested in a flurry of arrests of politicians and lawyers that began on 10 February.

Kenya
Russia steps on soft power pedal in Nairobi

Moscow is launching an increasing number of cultural and educational programmes in Kenya and is also planning to supply the country with free fertilisers in the hope of getting Kenya on its side over the war in Ukraine.

Guinea
Doumbouya snubs ECOWAS

In a move that is likely to further strain relations between Guinea and the West African regional body, Mamadi Doumbouya's ruling junta did not inform ECOWAS of the creation of a transition monitoring committee on 9 February.

DRC
Bridgeway Foundation takes fight to ADF with backing from Washington and Kampala

Bridgeway Foundation is a member of the camp of those fighting the armed group known as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). The US foundation claims to have helped several fighters defect from the group, and that it is running a private intelligence, lobbying and public relations operation.

The New Guard
Niger, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, South Africa

Every Wednesday, Africa Intelligence spotlights a new generation of movers and shakers in business and politics.

Niger Karim Soumana, Bazoum's soon-to-be ambassador in Qatar

Tunisia Faouzi Daas, Kais Saied's strategic adviser and upcoming MP

Ivory Coast Bakary Traoré, guardian of Ivory Coast's forests

South Africa Leon Schreiber, the opposition MP embarrassing the ANC

Somalia
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to travel to Doha

Though he was wary of Qatar at first for financially supporting his predecessor, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud will travel to Doha in March just before the UN's LDC5 conference.

Central African Republic
MINUSCA still waiting for Ivorian peacekeepers

The deployment of a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) of Ivorian peacekeepers to boost the UN mission, MINUSCA, in the Central African Republic was first broached in 2021 but has not yet happened. The troops should however arrive by mid-2023.

Mali
Islamist leader Ag Ghali and Malian general Gamou explore potential alliance

The leader of the jihadist JNIM group and the retired army general have met to map out a joint plan to fight Islamic State in the Greater Sahara and take advantage of Bamako's weakness.

Mali
Fatoumata Sinkoun Kaba becomes new MINUSMA spokesperson

MINUSMA | The UN peacekeeping mission finally has a new spokesperson: the UNHCR veteran Fatoumata Sinkoun Kaba.

DRC, France
Macron dispatches his advance guard to Kinshasa

In advance of his scheduled March visit, Emmanuel Macron this week dispatched his top adviser on Africa, Franck Paris, to Kinshasa to prepare for this politically sensitive trip.