Ivory Coast
Embalo and Sassou discreetly manoeuvre against Ouattara in Oyo

Palace Intrigues
Emmanuel Macron, Andry Rajoelina, Felix Tshisekedi, Marcel Niat Njifenji and Abakar Manany

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

MadagascarMacron and Rajoelina in Parisian tête-à-tête

DRCFormer adviser 'JCK' invites himself along on Tshisekedi's Oyo trip

ChadAbakar Manany, a minister far from N'Djamena

CameroonSenate president Marcel Niat Njifenji holidays in Geneva

Ivory Coast
French appeal court upholds seizure of Guillaume Soro's life insurance policy

France's highest court of appeal ruled on 1 February that charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity brought against the Ivorian opposition leader Guillaume Soro are legally valid.

Guinea
In Conakry, Condé's former ministers living under tight surveillance

As Alpha Condé seeks to return to Guinean politics after his ouster, many of his former ministers are living under harsh restrictions imposed by the country's new government.

Guinea Bissau, Senegal
Imbroglio over AGC allows CNOOC to shelve drilling plans

CNOOC is still waiting for Senegal and Guinea-Bissau to settle the matter of resource distribution on their joint maritime zone, where it operates the AGC Profond block. Until a solution is found, the Chinese major does not want to start its drilling programme on the licence.

West Africa
ECOWAS to hold summit on 4 December

The heads of state of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will meet on 4 December in Abuja, which hosts the headquarters of the regional organisation, for their annual ordinary summit.

Guinea, West Africa
ECOWAS split over how to deal with Doumbouya junta

The Economic Community of West African States' decision to impose sanctions on Guinea's junta was the result of a fragile consensus and is far from being unanimously backed by its member countries.

Africa, France
Lyon's lesser-known business school pampers African decision-makers

From Samuel Eto'o to Guillaume Soro, many African celebrities have turned to the Ecole de Commerce de Lyon as an easy way to pick up a degree in management. Its director, Hervé Diaz, is generous with the school's honorary degrees.

West Africa
Why the next ECOWAS summit will be held in Abuja

Although he has been president of the Economic Community of West African States since July, Umaro Sissoco Embaló will not host the next summit of the regional organisation in Guinea-Bissau.

West Africa
ECOWAS leaders at loggerheads over successor to Akufo-Addo

The summit in Accra on 3 July should officialise the appointment of a new ECOWAS chairperson to succeed the Ghanaian Nana Akufo-Addo as well of new commissioners for the regional organisation. Two electric subjects that have greatly increased tensions between West Africa's leaders.

Africa, Europe
Groupe Agir Europe-Afrique puts positive spin on African elections

The association, which is officially based in France and coordinated by the Ivorian Jean Amoikon Eba, has been observing elections across the African continent for the last decade.

Ivory Coast
Ouattara makes key new appointments at his embassy in Paris

Following his appointment of a new consul general at the French embassy in Paris in February, Alassane Ouattara has promoted one of his generals as head of the military mission there.

Gabon, Ghana
Libreville and Accra win right to vie for UN Security Council seat

Although the Congolese president and current African Union chairperson, Félix [...]

Benin
Special border surveillance units in front line as presidential poll looms

Faced with a two-part security challenge of tensions surrounding the presidential election coupled with rising terrorism on its northern borders, Benin plans to redefine the scope of action of its special border surveillance units, the USSF.

Angola, Congo
Relations between Sassou and Lourenço become ever more poisonous

Presidential advisors in Angola now suspect Congo of colluding with the separatist Frente de Libertação do Estado de Cabinda (FLEC).

West Africa
From Michael Jackson to Ghana's elite, Nicky Wilson's networks stretch far and wide

The mysterious and influential Togolese businessman Nicky Wilson is close to all of Ghana's decision-makers and knows numerous African presidents.

Ghana
Foreign minister Botchway, centrepiece of Akufo Addo's ECOWAS chairmanship

Ghanaian president Nana Akufo-Addo's powerful foreign minister for the past four years, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway is to chair a meeting of her ECOWAS colleagues in Mali on 19 January.

Mauritania
Moustapha Chafi courted from all sides since his return to Nouakchott

The country's business and political elite have been eagerly paying visits to the former opponent of the Aziz regime since his return to the capital in the hopes of finding out what he plans to do next.

DRC
SkyPower due back in Kinshasa to discuss its $1bn PV project

Canadian electricity producer SkyPower is trying to put together a finance package for its planned 1,000 MW solar farm near Kinshasa.