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Angola

BP bides its time on investing in prize Block 31 assets

The development of BP's Pala, Ástrea and Juno fields at Block 31, which are seen as the assets most likely to yield an increase in its Angolan output, will not be on the cards until early 2022.

Subscribers only Energy 02.04.2021

Dos Santos probe seals MBZ-Lourenço pact

Isabel dos Santos is the eldest daughter of former Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who ruled the country from 1979 to 2017. © REUTERS/Toby Melville

Subscribers only Diplomacy Running story - The Dos Santos family assets 02.04.2021

Isabel dos Santos, daughter of former Angolan president José Eduardo dos Santos. © Tiago Petinga/EPA/Newscom/MaxPPP

Spotlight
Lourenço follows dos Santos asset trail to Singapore

Angola's justice ministry has previously asked Emirati and Mauritian authorities to help it locate the assets of the dos Santos family. Now it is taking the treasure hunt all the way to Singapore. Isabel dos Santos, for her part, is fighting back in court in London.

Free access Diplomacy Running story - The Dos Santos family assets 30.03.2021

Angolan President João Lourenço. © PAG/DEG/Reuters

Companies offer free clean-up of trash-strewn Luanda to win back cancelled contracts

Rubbish is piling up on the streets of the capital after cash-strapped city authorities abruptly cancelled waste-management contracts last year. In the hope of winning new ones now that João Lourenço has mobilised funds, some firms have offered their services at no cost.

Subscribers only Business 30.03.2021

Luanda keeps at São Vicente after Swiss court orders partial asset thaw

Luanda intends to pursue embezzlement and money laundering proceedings against Angolan businessman Carlos de São Vicente, despite the Swiss courts' recent decision to invalidate part the seizure of part of his assets, worth over $900m. The proceedings have led to tension within the MPLA, between Lourenço and the family of the country's first president.

Subscribers only Politics 29.03.2021

Luanda and Windhoek sketch out electrical interconnection

As the scheduled April start of work on the 600-MW Baynes hydroelectric dam now looks like a pipedream, Luanda and Windhoek are looking to move forward on another part of their project, which is estimated to cost about $1.2bn.

Subscribers only Energy, Business 29.03.2021

Dos Santos asset hunt, catalyst of growing Abu Dhabi-Luanda bond

The Angolan president's quiet trip to Abu Dhabi last week is the latest sign of a fast-tracked rapprochement between the UAE and Angola. But this blossoming diplomatic and economic alliance depends on the UAE's willingness to hunt down the dos Santos family's assets.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 24.03.2021

Isabel Dos Santos, daughter of Angola's former president.

Odebrecht wants larger slice of Cabinda refinery project

The London-based investment fund Gemcorp, which is financing the future 60,000-bpd Cabinda plant, has hired Odebrecht to carry out part of the work. But the Brazilian company is negotiating for more.

Subscribers only Energy 24.03.2021

Inner circles
Sovereign fund dream team, unloved by Lourenço, fights for survival

The Fundo Soberano de Angola, a leftover from the dos Santos era, has lost its shine since João Lourenço came to power. The technocrats appointed in 2018 to run the fund have been forced to shrink their ambitions in the face of a drastic reduction of its portfolio and the government's patent lack of interest.

Subscribers only Energy 19.03.2021

Uber-rich Kothari clan hitches its wagon to Lourenço's diamond sector reforms

The wealthy Indian Kothari family, which owns the KGK Group gemstone and jewellery company, is backing João Lourenço's shake-up of the diamond sector. By helping the president with his plan to make Angola more than a mere producer of stones, the Kotharis are counting on better access to the country's output.

Subscribers only Mining 18.03.2021

Vice-chairman of KGK Group Sanjay Kothari.

Sonangol ready to cross swords with Iraq on taxation of Qaiyarah field

Sonangol upstream director Ricardo Van-Deste has said he wants to negotiate better tax conditions for the company.

Subscribers only Energy 17.03.2021

Spotlight
Lourenço solicits cooperation from the Emirates, Mauritius and Monaco in battle against Dos Santos family

The Angolan Ministry of Justice is requesting help left and right to round up and potentially freeze the assets of the former president's daughter, Isabel Dos Santos.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 15.03.2021

Spotlight
Banco Sol struggles to shake reputation as MPLA's bank

Thrown back into the limelight by a recent report, Banco Sol's deep and long-standing ties with President João Lourenço's party are weighing heavily on the financial institution's attempts to brand itself as just an ordinary bank.

Subscribers only Finance, Business 11.03.2021

Coutinho Nobre Miguel, dubbed the MPLA's banker. He was the boss of Banco Sol until last year and remains a major shareholder.

Spotlight
Away from the courtrooms, the government and the dos Santos clan wage a secret war

Already engaged in innumerable court cases and arbitration battles, the smallest details of which are dutifully publicized by their respective PR teams, the family of ex-president dos Santos and the Angolan state are also fighting another less public, much less procedural battle.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 08.03.2021

CNMC and Erik Prince wholeheartedly believe in Lobito corridor

The Chinese conglomerate CNMC and private security magnate Erik Prince have signed a partnership to facilitate the transport of ore extracted in the DRC-Zambia Copperbelt to the Angolan port of Lobito via a corridor that is not yet fully operational.

Subscribers only Infrastructure, Mining 08.03.2021

Ukraine's AutoKrAZ hopes to dominate West African military logistics market

Although it is still struggling to get its industrial partnership in Nigeria off the ground, AutoKrAZ is looking to start producing its military trucks in Senegal, Ghana, and Angola. These new plants could give it leadership of the West African military logistics markets.

Subscribers only Defence, Business 05.03.2021

Endiama struggles to find a suitor for its private security subsidiary Alfa-5

Amid the wave of privatisations initiated by President Lourenço, Angola's national diamond company Endiama is seeking a buyer for its Alfa-5 subsidiary, but the tarnished reputation of the security firm is complicating the task.

Subscribers only Mining 04.03.2021

Lourenço scrutinises financially diminished sovereign fund

Angolan president João Lourenço announced the opening of a tender for a contract to analyse the 2021 results of the Fundo Soberano de Angola (FSDEA), a sovereign fund mainly financed by oil revenue.

Subscribers only Energy 01.03.2021

Spotlight
Copperbelt mineral exports dry up after hike in cross-border tolls

Several haulage companies have stopped exporting minerals mined in the DRC and are restricting themselves to transport operations within the country, claiming that tolls imposed when crossing into Zambia are prohibitively high.

Subscribers only Mining 26.02.2021

Politically-minded Antunes Paulo Monteiro moves into diamonds in partnership with powerful Ranque Franque clan

A former MPLA member turned deputy chair of Angola's monarchist party, Antunes Paulo Monteiro has recently set up two mining project management companies. His partners in this business venture are members of the powerful Cabindan Ranque Franque family.

Subscribers only Mining 26.02.2021

Spotlight
Cabinda refinery: and the winner of the construction bid for Lourenço's giant project is...

British investment company Gemcorp, which is financing the new refinery in Cabinda (3.2m tonnes) has finally awarded contracts for building outdoor facilities.

Subscribers only Energy 23.02.2021

Equinor under legal and parliamentary scrutiny

Over the last year, Equinor has been contending with several legal actions relating to its operations in Africa as well as a parliamentary inquiry in its native Norway.

Subscribers only Energy 22.02.2021

Qatar Petroleum makes its offshore debut with Total, Sonangol deal

On 1 February, mining and oil minister Diamantino Azevedo signed a decree authorizing the state-owned Qatar Petroleum to take a 30% stake in Block 48.

Subscribers only Energy 08.02.2021

Longonjo rare earths, the ace up Lourenço's sleeve

Spearheaded by the UK's Pensana Rare Earths, the Longonjo neodymium-praseodymium project is starting to take shape, with production scheduled to begin in 2022. President João Lourenço has high hopes for this project, which he believes could become a flagship achievement of his mining reforms.

Subscribers only Mining 05.02.2021

Sampling at the Longonjo Rare Earths Mine Project.

The deal is sealed: Endiama takes over tarnished Odebrecht stake in Catoca Diamond Mine

The sale of Brazilian Odebrecht 8.2% stake in Sociedade Mineira do Catoca (SMC) to Endiama was finally concluded on 21 January for $70m.

Subscribers only Mining 02.02.2021

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Africa
Massad Boulos, a free agent of Donald Trump's African diplomacy under close watch

DRC
The Tshisekedi clan's dangerous ties with cobalt looting "cartels"

Angola

BP bides its time on investing in prize Block 31 assets

Dos Santos probe seals MBZ-Lourenço pact

Spotlight
Lourenço follows dos Santos asset trail to Singapore

Companies offer free clean-up of trash-strewn Luanda to win back cancelled contracts

Luanda keeps at São Vicente after Swiss court orders partial asset thaw

Luanda and Windhoek sketch out electrical interconnection

Dos Santos asset hunt, catalyst of growing Abu Dhabi-Luanda bond

Odebrecht wants larger slice of Cabinda refinery project

Inner circles
Sovereign fund dream team, unloved by Lourenço, fights for survival

Uber-rich Kothari clan hitches its wagon to Lourenço's diamond sector reforms

Sonangol ready to cross swords with Iraq on taxation of Qaiyarah field

Spotlight
Lourenço solicits cooperation from the Emirates, Mauritius and Monaco in battle against Dos Santos family

Spotlight
Banco Sol struggles to shake reputation as MPLA's bank

Spotlight
Away from the courtrooms, the government and the dos Santos clan wage a secret war

CNMC and Erik Prince wholeheartedly believe in Lobito corridor

Ukraine's AutoKrAZ hopes to dominate West African military logistics market

Endiama struggles to find a suitor for its private security subsidiary Alfa-5

Lourenço scrutinises financially diminished sovereign fund

Spotlight
Copperbelt mineral exports dry up after hike in cross-border tolls

Politically-minded Antunes Paulo Monteiro moves into diamonds in partnership with powerful Ranque Franque clan

Spotlight
Cabinda refinery: and the winner of the construction bid for Lourenço's giant project is...

Equinor under legal and parliamentary scrutiny

Qatar Petroleum makes its offshore debut with Total, Sonangol deal

Longonjo rare earths, the ace up Lourenço's sleeve

The deal is sealed: Endiama takes over tarnished Odebrecht stake in Catoca Diamond Mine

Create a notification

About Africa Intelligence

Subscription

Africa Intelligence on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

About Africa Intelligence

Subscription

Indigo Publications' websites

Africa Massad Boulos, a free agent of Donald Trump's African diplomacy under close watch

DRC The Tshisekedi clan's dangerous ties with cobalt looting "cartels"

Simandou, Nimba and Zogota: the long and difficult road to the start of iron ore production

Cabo Delgado: a gas Eldorado and security nightmare

The Renaissance Dam – a national symbol but a regional quandary

Andry Rajoelina

African Development Bank

Paul Biya

Erik Prince

AFRICOM

Angola

BP bides its time on investing in prize Block 31 assets

Dos Santos probe seals MBZ-Lourenço pact

Spotlight Lourenço follows dos Santos asset trail to Singapore

Companies offer free clean-up of trash-strewn Luanda to win back cancelled contracts

Luanda keeps at São Vicente after Swiss court orders partial asset thaw

Luanda and Windhoek sketch out electrical interconnection

Dos Santos asset hunt, catalyst of growing Abu Dhabi-Luanda bond

Odebrecht wants larger slice of Cabinda refinery project

Inner circles Sovereign fund dream team, unloved by Lourenço, fights for survival

Uber-rich Kothari clan hitches its wagon to Lourenço's diamond sector reforms

Sonangol ready to cross swords with Iraq on taxation of Qaiyarah field

Spotlight Lourenço solicits cooperation from the Emirates, Mauritius and Monaco in battle against Dos Santos family

Spotlight Banco Sol struggles to shake reputation as MPLA's bank

Spotlight Away from the courtrooms, the government and the dos Santos clan wage a secret war

CNMC and Erik Prince wholeheartedly believe in Lobito corridor

Ukraine's AutoKrAZ hopes to dominate West African military logistics market

Endiama struggles to find a suitor for its private security subsidiary Alfa-5

Lourenço scrutinises financially diminished sovereign fund

Spotlight Copperbelt mineral exports dry up after hike in cross-border tolls

Politically-minded Antunes Paulo Monteiro moves into diamonds in partnership with powerful Ranque Franque clan

Spotlight Cabinda refinery: and the winner of the construction bid for Lourenço's giant project is...

Equinor under legal and parliamentary scrutiny

Qatar Petroleum makes its offshore debut with Total, Sonangol deal

Longonjo rare earths, the ace up Lourenço's sleeve

The deal is sealed: Endiama takes over tarnished Odebrecht stake in Catoca Diamond Mine

Create a notification

About Africa Intelligence

Subscription

Africa Intelligence on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

Africa
Massad Boulos, a free agent of Donald Trump's African diplomacy under close watch

DRC
The Tshisekedi clan's dangerous ties with cobalt looting "cartels"

Spotlight
Lourenço follows dos Santos asset trail to Singapore

Inner circles
Sovereign fund dream team, unloved by Lourenço, fights for survival

Spotlight
Lourenço solicits cooperation from the Emirates, Mauritius and Monaco in battle against Dos Santos family

Spotlight
Banco Sol struggles to shake reputation as MPLA's bank

Spotlight
Away from the courtrooms, the government and the dos Santos clan wage a secret war

Spotlight
Copperbelt mineral exports dry up after hike in cross-border tolls

Spotlight
Cabinda refinery: and the winner of the construction bid for Lourenço's giant project is...