Mali
From Washington to Algiers, Paris manoeuvres behind the scenes to keep Wagner out of Mali

West Africa
UN's West Africa head visited Élysée to talk junta sanctions

During a trip to Paris and Brussels, UNOWAS's Leonardo Santos Simao, held talks with officials, calling for a reduction in the sanctions against Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger's juntas.

Mali
Junta schmoozes former ruling party heavyweights as elections approach

The former presidential party Rassemblement Pour le Mali is starting to lose its top people, with ex-parliamentary speaker Moussa Timbiné the latest to go. With elections on the horizon, some of its leaders are secretly negotiating with the ruling junta.

Palace Intrigues
Alassane Ouattara, Henri Konan Bedie, Denis Sassou Nguesso, Emmanuel Macron and Assimi Goita

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

Ivory Coast Bedie's secret call to Ouattara

Niger embassies deplore administrative harassment

Congo Omar Denis Jr Bongo feels at home in Malabo

France/Mali Behind Assimi Goita's first call to Macron

Guinea, West Africa
ECOWAS split over how to deal with Doumbouya junta

The Economic Community of West African States' decision to impose sanctions on Guinea's junta was the result of a fragile consensus and is far from being unanimously backed by its member countries.

West Africa
French ex-foreign minister coaches successor and new defence minister on African issues

French President Emmanuel Macron has asked his ex-minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to brief the new defence minister Sébastien Lecornu and the new foreign minister Catherine Colonna on African issues.

Palace Intrigues
Macky Sall, Assimi Goïta, George Weah, Evariste Ngamana and Marine Le Pen

Intrigues big and small... Every Tuesday, Africa Intelligence takes a peak into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.

Senegal/MaliMacky Sall telephones Assimi Goïta

LiberiaGeorge Weah to be guest of honour at Prince Johnson's birthday celebrations

CAR/FranceParis refuses medical transfer of deputy speaker Evariste Ngamana

France/AlgeriaMarine Le Pen hones her stance on relations with Algiers

Algeria
New 'Mr Africa' for Algeria's Foreign Affairs Ministry

The Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has had a new Africa director since May.

Africa, France
New foreign minister names her African adviser

Catherine Colonna has appointed a diplomat previously posted to the UN and to Burkina Faso to be her senior advisor on Africa.

Benin
Cotonou wants Turkish drones and Chinese armaments to defend its borders

Faced with an increasing number of attacks from armed groups in northern Benin, the authorities in Cotonou have stepped up their efforts to find suppliers able to provide them with air defence systems. Among the contenders are Turkey's Baykar group, China's PolyTech and France's A-NSE.

Mali, Russia
Junta has IBK to thank for latest Russian arms shipment

By taking delivery of two Russian-made attack helicopters and radar systems, Mali's junta took advantage of a contract signed by former president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita (IBK), whom it helped to overthrow.

Mali, Mauritania
Bamako tries to save its good relations with Nouakchott

Mauritanian head of state Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, who, until now, has opted for dialogue with the regime in Mali, could change position following a recent border incident in which a number of Mauritanians lost their lives.

Mali
After ECOWAS, G5 Sahel ready to punish Mali

ECOWAS has slapped sanctions on the junta in Mali over delayed elections, and now the G5 Sahel military alliance, of which Mali is a member, is about to decide what action to take. Bamako has already been blocked from taking over the G5 rotating presidency.

Algeria, Sahel
Foreign minister Lamamra already reshuffling his Sahel team

The head of Algerian diplomacy, Ramtane Lamamra, is shortly due to appoint a new special envoy for the Sahel. Since this summer the post has been occupied by Boudjemaa Delmi, a very close friend of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Africa
Sierra Leone given free run as Nigeria gives up on UN Security Council seat bid

Nigeria has decided to withdraw its bid for a non-permanent member seat on the UN Security Council for 2024-2025, leaving Sierra Leone alone in the running.

Algeria
French military still banned from Algerian air space despite diplomatic outreach

Paris hopes Algeria will soon lift its ban on the use of its airspace to resupply military operations in the Sahel, namely Barkhane. The army is currently using private foreign sub-contractors, not part of the ban, to fly equipment over Algeria.

Algeria, France, Sahel
Macron and Tebboune quietly mend their fences

The French president spoke at length with his Algerian counterpart in late November. The two leaders agreed to gradually ease the tensions between them over the next few months. Meanwhile Paris and Algiers have resumed discussions of the Sahel.

DRC
How the Congolese army lost its medevac helicopter

After a seven-year dispute with the company in charge of its maintenance, the Congolese Ministry of Defence has finally given up ownership of the MI-8 helicopter that it used as its air ambulance.

Africa
Several African heads of state to attend Paris Peace Forum

Over ten African heads of state will travel to France for the Paris Peace forum, due to be held 11 November.

Spotlight | Central African Republic, Russia
Moscow-Bangui relations hit rough patch

Relations between Russia and the Central African Republic remain strong, yet they've grown tense in recent weeks. Moscow, deprived of its official representatives in the country, is now working in the dark.

European Union, France, Mali
Paris secretly prepared to slap sanctions on military junta

As relations between Bamako and Paris continue to sour, France wants the EU to slap sanctions on several Malian officials seen to be rocking the boat ahead of next year's presidential poll. Meanwhile, ECOWAS is considering similar punitive measures.