African Union

Egypt
Cairo throws hat into ring to chair African Union in 2024

For several weeks the North Africa region has been unable to choose between Morocco and Algeria for the first vice presidency of the African Union. Cairo has now thrown its hat into the ring in the hope of resolving the impasse.

South Africa
Zane Dangor makes his influence felt at foreign ministry

The director-general of South Africa's foreign ministry is pleading for Pretoria to distance itself from Moscow. His influence is an irritation for some in the ruling ANC, which is keen to maintain good relations with Russia.

East Africa
AU firms up agenda for Addis summit

Topics to be raised at the AU heads of state summit to be held in Addis Ababa from 18-19 February will range from political, financial and energy governance, UN security council reforms, to the AU's response to climate change.

West Africa
West Africa ponders choice of next UNOWAS head

The Dakar-based post UN post has been vacant since October and the names of several African diplomats are doing the rounds.

Chad
Chad's new director of customs under pressure from the IMF

Chad's new director of customs, Ahmat Abdelkerim Ahmat, has been tasked with rapidly boosting the country's customs revenue, the country's main source of tax income, under the watchful eye of the IMF. Abdelkerim, a former Bolloré executive, hopes to draw inspiration from neighbouring Niger.

West Africa
African leaders plan trip to Kyiv and Moscow

A handful of African heads of state are planning a joint visit to Moscow and Kyiv to meet Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky. Details could be discussed at the next African Union summit.

South Sudan
Doubts hover over joint border force as deployment nears

Salva Kiir and Abdel Fattah al-Burhan have announced they will create a military unit to secure their shared border. Bilateral talks have begun to determine the details of this joint action, the first of its kind since South Sudan's independence in 2011.

Kenya
Kenyatta seeks $10m for his new mediation institute

The main aim of the new entity, which bears the name of the former president, is to forge strategic partnerships and raise money for its conflict-resolution work in DRC and Ethiopia.

The New Guard
Congo, Algeria, Namibia and Nigeria

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

Congo Baptism of fire for country's youngest MP, Antoine Obam'Ondon

Algeria Yacine Oualid, the face of 'new Algeria' 

Namibia Sharonice Busch tackles youth unemployment

Nigeria Chinny Ogunro, The Africa Center's well-connected new COO

Sahel
Western capitals uneasy about delayed Issoufou report

Former Nigerien president Mahamadou Issoufou's report on the international response to the Sahel security crisis will not be ready in time for the AU summit in February as initially planned, with publication still several months away.

African Union, Comoros islands, Rwanda
M23: Vincent Biruta lobbies Azali Assoumani

Officially, Vincent Biruta visited Moroni on 16 January to sign partnerships that had been planned for several years between Rwanda and the Comoros. In reality, it was to talk about the DRC.

Guinea
Guinean diplomats irked by Sidibe Fatoumata Kaba's posting as ambassador to the US

Corruption charges failed to prevent the foreign service veteran's appointment, which has not met with universal approval from Guinea's diplomatic corps. Here, we take a closer look at a questionable posting.

Ethiopia
Paris and Berlin seek to act in unison in the Horn

The French and German foreign ministers are due in Addis in a week's time for talks with the Ethiopian government. Paris and Berlin are doing their best to adopt a common diplomatic stance in the region.