Africa
Paris gears up for African ambassadorial reshuffle

Palace Intrigues
Emmanuel Macron, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, Gérald Darmanin

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

Africa Macron invites African leaders to 80th anniversary of Provence landings

Algeria Tebboune keeps Algerian Cup finalists waiting

Congo Sassou attends Ramaphosa's inauguration with supersized delegation

Egypt French interior minister's Cairo visit foiled by snap elections

Ivory Coast
Ouattara secures further term for French ambassador in Abidjan

Jean-Christophe Belliard, France’s ambassador to Ivory Coast, was theoretically due to leave his post in the coming weeks but has been given another year in the job he has held since 2020.

Niger
AFD faces uncertain future in Niamey

France's AFD development agency, the last remaining symbol of the country's presence since the 2023 coup, is facing significant issues in Niger. The French ambassador to Niger will also leave his post in the coming months.

Guinea
Luc Briard set to be appointed as France's new ambassador in Conakry

Luc Briard is set to take the helm of the French embassy in Conakry in the coming months. He will replace Marc Fonbaustier, who has been in office since 2020 and is leaving for Abuja.

Mauritania
Ghazouani to meet Macron at the Elysée

Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani is due to be received for lunch by his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Paris at the Elysée Palace on 29 May.

Ethiopia
Alexis Lamek leading race to become French ambassador in Addis Ababa

France's ambassador to Gabon since 2021, the diplomat Alexis Lamek is due to take over as head of the French embassy in Addis Ababa and at the African Union this summer.

West Africa
French generals set sights on the continent's embassy posts

With France's diplomats increasingly less interested in becoming ambassadors in Africa, French army generals look ready to step into their shoes.

Zambia
A new French ambassador in Lusaka

We now have the name of the person who will likely become the next French ambassador to Zambia, replacing François Goldblatt, who has held the position since 2020.

Africa
New Africa adviser for French foreign ministry

Nadia Fanton, the Africa adviser to the French foreign minister, is set to leave her post this summer. Her successor has just been chosen.

DRC
DR Congo security chief seeks to reboot Paris-Kinshasa relations

Jean-Louis Esambo, who just took over as head of DR Congo's Conseil National de Sécurité, is seeking to rekindle relations with French intelligence and diplomatic services.

East Africa, France
Macron set to appoint new ambassadors throughout Africa

Several French embassies in Africa will change ambassadors this year, including Nairobi and Kampala in East Africa and Maputo and Pretoria in southern Africa.