Vol 50 No 9 | TOGO Brothers and enemies 1st May 2009 The Gnassingbé family that has run Togo for almost 42 years has split, opening up competition for the presidential election due next year The two most powerful sons of the late President Gnassingbé Eyadéma have fallen out. Kpatcha Gnassingbé was arrested on 12 April (AC Vol 50 No 8), charged with...
Vol 50 No 9 | NIGERIA Do or die 1st May 2009 'Politics is a do or die affair,' according to a founder of the ruling People's Democratic Party and former head of state Olusegun Obasanjo. Some of his party...
Vol 50 No 8 | GHANA The Mills grind slowly 17th April 2009 Under attack from his own party as well as the opposition, the President strives to shape his government To mark his hundredth day in office on 17 April President John Evans Atta Mills gave his government eight out of ten for trying to fight corruption, protect...
Vol 50 No 8 | GHANA Sums that don't add up 17th April 2009 Perhaps the toughest job in President John Atta Mills's government is the Finance and Economic Planning portfolio, held by Kwabena Duffuor. Having, by reducing duties and levies, brought...
Vol 50 No 8 | SENEGAL Une affaire de famille 17th April 2009 Voters in the local elections have turned down President Wade’s political plans for himself and his son Karim Disaster has struck President Abdoulaye Wade’s coalition, led by his Parti Démocratique Sénégalais, at the polls on 22 March. The rural, municipal and regional elections marked his first...
Vol 50 No 8 | NIGERIAUNITED STATES The Halliburton trials 17th April 2009 Weeks after Information Minister Dora Akunyili announced a campaign to rehabilitate Nigeria’s international image, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s government faces the strongest test of its corruption-fighting credentials in...
Vol 50 No 8 | TOGO His father's son 17th April 2009 The arrest of former Defence Minister Kpatcha Gnassingbé while pleading in vain for asylum outside the gates of the United States Embassy in Lomé on 15 April appears...
Vol 2 (AAC) No 6 | LIBERIACHINA The Bong revival 16th April 2009 New facts about China Union's iron ore deal reveal the failure and high costs of Monrovia's negotiating tactics On closer scrutiny, the agreement between China Union and the Liberian government to resume iron ore production at Bong Mines hugely favours the Chinese company with only a minimal share...
Vol 2 (AAC) No 6 | LIBERIACHINA Deal or no deal 16th April 2009 The Minerals Development Agreement between China Union and the Liberian government, which Africa-Asia Confidential has seen, offers China Union royalty payments and tax exemptions that are far more generous than the...
Vol 2 (AAC) No 6 | NIGERIACHINAINDIASOUTH KOREA From win-win to lose-lose 16th April 2009 Asia's barter deals for Nigerian oil were politically charged and have been economically disastrous Almost all Nigeria's countertrade deals with Asia have been abandoned after investigations by President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua's officials into their viability.