Insights

In late July, Niger became the latest West African nation run by the military, after senior officers ousted President Mohamed Bazoum and announced the creation of a military junta. The coup, like similar coups in Guinea, Mali, and Burkina Faso in the past three years, was condemned by regional and international partners. However, beyond imposing…

AML consultants were on the road this month. Senior Consultant Valentin Robiliard was in Abidjan to meet clients and discuss business and politics in Côte d’Ivoire. Simultaneously, Senior Consultant Patrick Edmond was in Lubumbashi for DRC Mining Week, the annual forum for mining professionals in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In this month’s insight,…

All eyes are on Botswana next month, as the country’s sales agreement for diamonds with De Beers comes up for renewal. President Mokgweetsi Masisi has threatened to end the Debswana project – a partnership between Botswana and De Beers in place since 1969 – unless Botswana receives a bigger share of diamond revenues. The negotiations…

Since 15 April, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been clashing for control of the capital Khartoum and other parts of Sudan. More than 420 people have been killed in the violence, and over 3,700 injured, while thousands have fled to safer parts of Sudan or into neighbouring countries.…

This month, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an advisory body to the UN, published its latest report on global warming. The conclusions were alarming: hitting the target of ensuring that the world’s temperature does not rise by more than 1.5°C is all but impossible, with this ceiling likely to be breached by as…

Africa is becoming the destination of choice for senior officials from the world’s superpowers. Since the beginning of 2023, China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen have all visited the continent. French President Emmanuel Macron also embarks on a four-country African tour this week, while US…

This year, a series of high-profile elections will take place across Africa. Voters will decide whether to give incumbents another term to address existing challenges, or take a chance on a new set of leaders. Inflation and interest rates, while improving, remain high, and supply chains are constrained. Progress has been made, but growth in…

Last month, Africa Matters Limited (AML) co-Managing Director Piers Dawson and Associate Joy Kibaki were in Nairobi, Kenya, meeting senior-governments officials and private sector investors. Their engagements came three months after President William Ruto was declared the winner of Kenya’s presidential election by the electoral commission, with his 13 September inauguration marking the end of…

The 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) was held this month in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. Dubbed “Africa’s COP”, it foregrounded many of the issues that countries on the continent are facing as a result of climate change. COP27 also saw discussions on the interrelation between climate change, agriculture, and food security take a more…

October has been a busy month for the Democratic Republic of Congo’s high-level diplomacy. The government has made efforts to present the country as open for business, as a reliable partner, and as a crucial solution country for the climate crisis. The beginning of the month saw pre-COP27 hosted in Kinshasa, with ministerial delegations flying…