Mokgweetsi Masisi

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.

The New Guard
Botswana, Somalia, Benin

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

BotswanaFund manager Bame Pule, a discreet adviser to president Masisi

SomaliaBarkhad Kaariye, speaking on behalf of Somaliland

BeninLéonce Hamza Houngbadji, founder of Africa Solutions Week

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

Botswana
Renewal of Shabtai's diamond permit runs into opposition in president's party

A number of BDP members in the National Assembly are contesting the government's decision to renew Israeli business tycoon Gilad Shabtai's operating rights at the Lerala Diamond Mine.

Botswana
De Beers' last negotiation points for Gaborone deal could undercut HB Antwerp

In its most recent talks over a new deal with the Gaborone government, the diamond giant is negotiating to set the increase of the state's share of rough diamonds against high performance targets. That could hamper the Belgian trader's rise in the country as it has to back the government.

Botswana
HB Antwerp nears diamond marketing deal with Gaborone

Announced last March (AI, 22/03/23), the Botswanan government's plans to [...]

DRC
Macron's new Africa adviser heads to Kinshasa

French President Emmanuel Macron's new Africa adviser Jérémie Robert is due in Kinshasa for Félix Tshisekedi's inauguration on 20 January.

Botswana
Oscar Motsumi, the rising star of Masisi's coal policy

Extraction at Botswama's main coal mine has been entrusted to a domestic consortium, again demonstrating President Mokgweetsi Masisi's desire to promote local groups in the sector.

Botswana
Gaborone pressures Lucara Diamonds to re-engage with HB Antwerp

President Mokgweetsi Masisi and his mines minister are refusing to approve the termination of a distribution partnership between the Canadian miner and the Belgian trader, in which the Botswanan state is preparing to take a 24% stake.

Southern Africa
Russian diamonds row paralyses Kimberley Process annual meeting

The annual meeting of the international certification body was split on whether or not Russian diamonds should be considered as conflict diamonds. The stalemate prevented the organisation from appointing a new secretary general and setting up its secretariat in Gaborone.

Angola, Botswana
Luanda seeks to outmanoeuvre Botswana in race for 2025 AU presidency

President João Lourenço is nurturing hopes of beating Botswana to the African Union presidency in 2025 and is already lobbying behind the scenes.

Botswana
Diamond trader HB Antwerp ditches CEO Oded Mansori

Botswana's diamond marketing partner has given the Belgian-Israeli industry veteran the boot. But the former executive of Steinmetz Diamond Group remains a shareholder.

Botswana
Gaborone bags World Bank green subsidies

President Mokgweetsi Masisi's administration is soon to receive $3.5m from the World Bank for green consultancy services.