The Congolese army is struggling to contain the M23 rebel group. In seeking to reverse the balance of power, Kinshasa has bought military drones from China and hired private Romanian soldiers operating under the command of a French Foreign Legion veteran.
Intrigues big and small: every Tuesday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond. This week, we report back from the African Union summit in Addis Ababa.
Addax, a subsidiary of Chinese major Sinopec, has drilled a number of wells in Cameroon but has failed to significantly increase its production there, to the great displeasure of its two local partners.
Gabonese head of state Ali Bongo, who will shortly take over ECCAS's rotating presidency, is keen to be involved in resolving the DRC-Rwanda crisis.
Rather than counting on donations of American and French military hardware to strengthen the country's armed forces, defence minister Alkassoum Indatou is now trying to negotiate contracts directly with defence companies.
Bruno Fuchs, a member of the French Presidential party majority, has been in Niamey since 20 February and will remain there until the 23rd for a working visit,
As another wave of violence shakes the country, the World Bank has issued a red alert on water resource management, abandoned by the current administration. The population relies almost entirely upon humanitarian aid and NGOs for access to drinking water.
Some business leaders who financed the unsuccessful election campaign of opposition leader Raila Odinga are ready to provide fresh funds to pay for the protest meetings he is staging against the government. Yet some fear the government could retaliate.
The legal team representing Luanda did not take long to step into the breach the US Supreme Court left open. It has requested the Court of the District of Columbia permanently withdraw Aenegy's complaint.
Both Libya's oil minister and the Libyan Cities and Tribes Supreme Council believe the recent gas deal between Italy and Libya goes against the country's interests. The East-leaning council, which has filed a complaint with a court in Tripoli, has been known to create blockades in the past.
The Tripoli prosecutor general is investigating payments made by Libya's National Oil Corp to a Dubai-based firm called BGN International. The several million dollars paid out were allegedly due to be used as a financing tool by the Haftar clan that dominates the east of the country.