Sahel
Macron to talk Wagner and elections in Bamako

Palace Intrigues
Alassane Ouattara, Henri Konan Bedie, Denis Sassou Nguesso, Emmanuel Macron and Assimi Goita

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

Ivory Coast Bedie's secret call to Ouattara

Niger embassies deplore administrative harassment

Congo Omar Denis Jr Bongo feels at home in Malabo

France/Mali Behind Assimi Goita's first call to Macron

Mali, Russia
Junta has IBK to thank for latest Russian arms shipment

By taking delivery of two Russian-made attack helicopters and radar systems, Mali's junta took advantage of a contract signed by former president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita (IBK), whom it helped to overthrow.

France, Mali
Malian officers in France survive Paris-Bamako military divorce

A handful of Malian officers are still being trained in France despite the fact that all military cooperation between the two countries has been frozen.

Mali, Mauritania
Bamako tries to save its good relations with Nouakchott

Mauritanian head of state Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, who, until now, has opted for dialogue with the regime in Mali, could change position following a recent border incident in which a number of Mauritanians lost their lives.

Sahel
UN Security Council maps out Sahel visit

Kenya, current president of the United Nations Security Council for the month of October, has been working hard to organise the UN governing body's Sahel visit.

European Union, France, Mali
Paris secretly prepared to slap sanctions on military junta

As relations between Bamako and Paris continue to sour, France wants the EU to slap sanctions on several Malian officials seen to be rocking the boat ahead of next year's presidential poll. Meanwhile, ECOWAS is considering similar punitive measures.