Patrick Achi

Ivory Coast
Ouattara abolishes tax exemptions for multinational cocoa manufacturers operating locally

Multinationals that own cocoa bean processing plants in Ivory Coast will no longer benefit from a tax exemption on the droit unique de sortie (DUS, single exit tax), the main state tax on exports.

Palace Intrigues
Andry Rajoelina, Emmanuel Macron, Pascaline Bongo, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Denis Sassou-Nguesso

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

MadagascarWill Macron attend Rajoelina's Indian Ocean Commission summit?

GabonPascaline Bongo and Oligui Nguema's tête-à-tête

Republic of CongoSassou's daughter sets new wedding date

Palace Intrigues
Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Pascaline Bongo, Patrick Achi

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

GabonGeneral Oligui loyal to Omar Bongo's favourite Parisian hotel

Equatorial GuineaObiang to visit Paris without meeting Macron

GabonPascaline Bongo's US exile

Ivory CoastEx-PM Patrick Achi ditches French passport

Ivory Coast
Cargill loses its cocoa pole position

The American trading giant is now only the third-largest exporter of beans from Ivory Coast.

Ivory Coast
Government in stand-off with private digital TV channels

To protest the fact that they do not receive any state aid, three TV stations - NCI, Life TV and 7info - are refusing to pay the estimated 300m CFA francs they owe in annual broadcasting rights and other fees.

Ivory Coast
Ex-French president Sarkozy to attend Dominique Ouattara's gala in Abidjan

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy will be in Abidjan in early March. He plans to take part in a gala organised there by Children of Africa, the foundation headed by Ivorian First Lady Dominique Ouattara.

Ivory Coast
Ouattara reorganises Treasury management team

Alassane Ouattara is expected to appoint Arthur Augustin Pascale Ahoussi, deputy director general of the Treasury, to replace his former boss Konan Jacques Assahore.

Ivory Coast
Alassane Ouattara set to meet Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace

Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara is expected to travel to France on 3 November. As well as spending a few days at his home in Mougins in the south-east, his trip will include a more official component, too.

Palace Intrigues
Alassane Ouattara, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, Lula, Mahamadou Issoufou, Florence Parly

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

Ivory CoastPatrick Achi's final tête-à-tête with Alassane Ouattara?

CongoBrazilian president Lula unable to attend Sassou's environmental summit

NigerMahamadou Issoufou, an uncomfortable presence on International Crisis Group's board of trustees

BeninFrance's ex-armed forces minister visits Cotonou

Ivory Coast
Abidjan weighs cost of sustainable cocoa

Ivory Coast is seeking increased aid from Brussels to transform its cocoa industry in response to changes in European standards. A team of experts commissioned by the prime minister's office has assessed the cost of the required changes.

Ivory Coast
Abidjan keeps up cocoa pressure on Brussels

As the start of the 2023-2024 cocoa season approaches, the Conseil Café-Cacao is stepping up pressure on the EU by continuing its blockade of forward sales of cocoa beans.

Ivory Coast
Ouattara mandates Standard Chartered to raise €813m

Ivory Coast plans to raise more than €800m in syndicated debt at a time when the country's public finances are in difficulty and the government is struggling to pay its domestic debt.

Ivory Coast
French head of Millennium Challenge Account steps down, due to Biden administration's wishes

French national Florence Rajan-Haudebert had been head of Ivory Coast's Millennium Challenge Account, an important tool for cooperation between Washington and Abidjan, since 2018, but was recently forced to step down.