Vol 53 No 16 | ANGOLADIAMONDS Secrets are not forever 3rd August 2012 The Gaydamak case exposed details of profit-taking in the diamond business that the government might have preferred to remain unseen Russian-Israeli billionaire Arkady Gaydamak failed to convince the London High Court he had a case against diamond-dealer Lev Leviev in mid-June. Ever since, analysts have been poring over...
Vol 53 No 16 | ANGOLANAMIBIADIAMONDS Cross-border pollution 3rd August 2012 Lev Leviev's interests in neighbouring Namibia could suffer as a result of the British High Court proceedings in June, especially from the judge's critical remarks about his credibility...
Vol 5 (AAC) No 10 | MAURITIUSINDIA To save a treaty 31st July 2012 Pressure mounts again on the treaty that allows funds to transit untaxed through Mauritius and into India’s markets Mauritius and India are gearing up for another confrontation over the 1983 Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement. The DTAA allows Indian investors to avoid paying tax by funnelling their...
Vol 5 (AAC) No 10 | ZIMBABWEINDIA Missing the sparklers 31st July 2012 Disappearing diamond revenue is slowing economic growth and enriching illicit networks at the interstices of India-Zimbabwe trade Disappointing diamond revenues and other factors forced Finance Minister Tendai Biti to slash predictions for Zimbabwe’s gross domestic product growth in 2012 from the expected 9.4% to just...
Vol 5 (AAC) No 10 | ZIMBABWEINDIA No retail therapy here 31st July 2012 Since he was widowed in March 2009, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai has been involved in a series of romantic escapades that have drawn...
Vol 5 (AAC) No 10 | ZIMBABWECHINABRIEFING Diamonds give you wings 31st July 2012 Anjin Investments is attracting even more attention from the authorities after a Global Witness report released in late June highlighted the company’s links to the security services and...
Vol 5 (AAC) No 10 | ZAMBIA Alexander Chikwanda 31st July 2012 Finance Minister, Zambia In the 29 June listing of China Nonferrous Metal Mining Corporation (CNMC) on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Zambia’s Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda saw ‘a legitimate cause for...
Vol 53 No 15 | SOUTH AFRICAAFRICAN UNION Dlamini-Zuma takes charge 19th July 2012 South Africa finally won the battle for the AU Commission chair, amid high hopes for reform and more effective interventions Security crises in five countries and pressing economic problems confront the new Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. Although she has three months to wind up...
Vol 53 No 15 | SOUTH AFRICAAFRICAN UNION A diplomatic coup in Addis 19th July 2012 Just hours before voting began for the new chairperson of the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa on 15 July, veteran diplomats were predicting a repeat of the...
Vol 53 No 15 | ANGOLA Luanda’s crude power 19th July 2012 For foreign oil companies, getting hitched to local partners is increasingly causing trouble at home Angola’s habit of compelling foreign oil companies to work with secretive local companies that belong to top government officials is attracting increasing criticism – and compliance risks at...