Vol 56 No 16 | GUINEALIBERIA Whose line is it anyway? 6th August 2015 Two major mining companies are locked in combat over access to the railway line to export iron ore The giant iron and steel producer ArcelorMittal has dragged Guinea and Liberia into its quarrel with Sable Mining over access to the rail export route. The line runs...
Vol 56 No 16 | GUINEA The Sampil truth 6th August 2015 Questions remain about the nature of Sable Mining’s relationship with the government of President Alpha Condé. Questions remain about the nature of Sable Mining’s relationship with the government of President Alpha Condé. How an inexperienced iron ore mining company with limited cash managed to...
Vol 56 No 15 | SENEGAL Sall and the separatists 23rd July 2015 Casamance has long been one of the government’s worst headaches. A new approach promises change President Macky Sall prides himself on his regional profile and holds the presidency of the Economic Community of West African States to prove it. The antithesis of the grandstanding...
Vol 56 No 15 | BURKINA FASO Guards old and new 23rd July 2015 The latest round of the angry confrontation between ex-President Blaise Compaoré’s elite bodyguards, the 1,300-strong Régiment de sécurité présidentielle, and its former deputy commander, has gone the way...
Vol 56 No 15 | NIGERIA Coming to America – the sequel 22nd July 2015 After three days of meetings with President Obama and his government, President Buhari has repaired the ailing relationship It was organised rapidly but President Muhammadu Buhari’s first official visit to the United States on 19-22 July made serious progress on security, anti-corruption and energy agreements. READ FOR FREE
Vol 56 No 15 | GUINEA Condé pushes for new mine 22nd July 2015 The President wants at least one new mining project up and running by the time of this year’s presidential election In his haste to make new mining deals with Chinese bauxite companies, President Alpha Condé has stepped on some toes, including those of the British government.
Vol 56 No 14 | NIGERIA The clock ticks faster 10th July 2015 This month, packed with critical meetings, appointments and policy changes, marks the real launch of President Muhammadu Buhari's government. He is due to name the main ministers who...
Vol 56 No 13 | MALI A peace deal, against all odds 26th June 2015 The much delayed signing of a new accord between north and south offers a chance to defeat the jihadists and sideline the secessionists Three days after presiding on 20 June over the signing in Bamako of a peace agreement between northern rebels and President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, Mongi Hamdi was in... READ FOR FREE
Vol 56 No 13 | SIERRA LEONE The discord lingers on 26th June 2015 The constitutional crisis over the vice-presidency drags on while an unwelcome spotlight falls on the President’s affairs A full explanation of why Vice-President Samuel Sam-Sumana was summarily removed from office in March has just emerged. President Ernest Bai Koroma feared he was building support for... READ FOR FREE
Vol 56 No 13 | SIERRA LEONE 'Lack of focus' on Ebola 26th June 2015 New cases of Ebola are still turning up in Port Loko and Kambia districts, over a month after the World Health Organisation declared neighbouring Liberia Ebola-free. A lack...