Diamonds

Cameroon
SONAMINES gains upper hand in mining sector governance

Freeing itself from the constraits of a supervisory ministry, the Société Nationale des Mines has now taken up a central role in mining negotiations. This reorganisation came about in response to pressure from the presidency, which intends to take back control of the sector.

Botswana
Gaborone struggles to soothe coal sector crisis

The state, whose revenues have been affected by the drop in diamond prices, has stopped supporting Minergy and Morupule, subsidiaries of the state-owned mining fund. The mines minister is struggling to reassure the unions and entrepreneurs in this key sector in the east of the country.

Botswana
Businessman Bame Pule seeks government's good graces with local investments

Under the scrutiny of the new authorities for his role in the mining negotiations with HB Antwerp and De Beers, the advisor of former president Masisi has taken a majority stake in a leading hospital.

Uganda
Army orders surveillance aircraft from Sino-Austrian firm Diamond

Kampala recently signed a contract with Diamond Aircraft for a batch of four DA62 surveillance planes.

Guinea
Chinese gold baron expected in Conakry

Shareholder of mining company Lingbao Gold, Wang Guanran is planning to visit Guinea to meet President Mamadi Doumbouya with an eye on identifying new sources of growth.

Botswana
Two of HB Antwerp's cofounders shake diamond industry with resignation

Against a backdrop of tensions among company heads, Rafael Papismedov and Shai De Toledo have stepped down from their management roles. They now have their sights on setting up a new company in the same sector in southern Africa.

Cameroon
French firm Eosys bids to map natural resources

French company Eosys is currently in talks with the acting minister for mines, Fuh Calistus Gentry, and his teams over a project for mapping Cameroon's rich resources.

South Africa
Anglo American moves closer to South African exit

Eager to leave the country, Anglo American is looking to sell its platinum subsidiary Amplats as well as its shares in diamond giant De Beers.

Botswana
De Beers diamond deal far from sparkling, says ex-President Masisi

Former President Mokgweetsi Masisi blames his successor, Duma Boko, for accepting clauses in the diamond distribution agreement that are less favourable to the state.

Somalia
Somali government revamps mining code as it seeks strategic ores

The executive is working on a new mining law to attract international investors interested in uranium. It is also aiming to relaunch prospecting for lithium, cobalt, gold and diamonds.

Central African Republic
Wagner launches recruitment drive in the north

The Russian group's paramilitaries have begun training young militiamen from the Gula ethnic group to extend their control and secure their interests in the Vakaga prefecture, on the border with Sudan and Chad.

The New Guard
Libya, Somalia, South Africa

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

LibyaAhmed Albibas, civil rights champion

SomaliaFathi Bashe, youth ambassador for the Horn of Africa

South AfricaMqokeleli Gomba, chief engineer at Richards Bay

Central African Republic
Difficult-to-sell huge diamond loses its sparkle for Touadéra

The Central African president is trying to sell a 178-carat diamond that was found in the southeast of the country but, three months after the lifting of the diamond embargo, it's proving quite the challenge.