Insights

On 12 February, the Kenyan government added momentum to Africa’s return to international debt markets by successfully issuing a USD 1.5 billion Eurobond. The issuance followed similar moves by Côte d’Ivoire and Benin which came to market on 23 January and 6 February respectively, together raising USD 3.35 billion. Côte d’Ivoire surprised many investors by…

In this month’s insight, the team at Africa Matters Limited, a part of J.S. Held (AML), consider the 20December elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The presidential, legislative, andlocal elections will take the largest Francophone country globally to the polls. Campaigning has beenunderway since late November, and is characterised by a strong incumbent,…

Last week, COP28 – the UN’s flagship annual climate change conference – began, hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Dubai. With 2022 the sixth warmest year since global records began, and the world increasingly impacted by extreme weather events, the need for delegates to deliver sustainable and equitable outcomes has never been so…

From the COVID-19 pandemic to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and US-China tensions, exogenous shocks in recent years have put global supply chains under pressure. Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel last month, and the conflict that has ensued, is the latest such incident, already disrupting the sourcing and transportation of goods in the Middle East and…

African countries are becoming increasingly visible on the world stage. In 2023 African leaders attended numerous summits, negotiated new trade and security deals, and multilateral blocs such as the G20 and BRICS extended memberships to African states. This is not surprising, however, and reflects Africa’s increasing geopolitical importance in world affairs amid increasing competition between…

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…