Author: Ousmane Tandja

Gabon’s president Brice Oligui Nguema embarks on three-day state visit to France Original reporting Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema begins a three-day state visit to France today, marking his second official trip since assuming office. The visit aims to strengthen bilateral ties between Libreville and Paris across key sectors such as investments, infrastructure development, energy transition, industrialization, cultural exchanges, and economic collaboration. Accompanied by a high-level delegation including business leaders, government officials, and media representatives, the Gabonese head of state is scheduled to meet with his French counterpart, President…

For three intensive days, Gabon’s transitional leader, General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, conducted a landmark state visit to France. The agenda was packed with high-stakes discussions, centered on two transformative pillars: reshaping the military footprint of the Camp de Gaulle base and accelerating Gabon’s manganese industry through local processing. Far from embracing abrupt confrontation or unconditional submission, Libreville is steering a bold yet pragmatic course—one that asserts sovereignty while securing strategic cooperation. A new chapter for Camp de Gaulle: Balancing autonomy with partnership The Camp de Gaulle, long a symbol…

The Côte d’Ivoire stands out in West Africa for its robust economic performance, and the government is leaving no stone unturned to highlight its achievements. In a comprehensive address from Abidjan, Souleymane Diarrassouba, Minister of Trade, Industry, and SME Promotion, outlined the strides made in economic policy over recent years. The presentation served a dual purpose: educating stakeholders while reinforcing the narrative of a resilient Ivorian economy driven by industrialization, public investment, and economic diversification. Industrial transformation drives economic gains At the heart of the minister’s address was the push…

Gabon’s mining sector is poised for a major transformation as French miner Eramet commits to a landmark agreement that will significantly increase local processing of its manganese output. In a high-profile signing ceremony held in Paris, Eramet and its Gabonese subsidiary Comilog formalized plans to elevate the country’s manganese processing capacity to 700,000 tonnes annually by 2031. The event, attended by Gabon’s transitional president Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema and top Eramet executives, underscores the urgency of boosting domestic resource value addition. Breaking decades of raw material exports The protocol, signed…

Six prominent local leaders from Côte d’Ivoire’s main opposition party, the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI), walked free on Monday after spending nine months in detention. Their release follows a judicial hearing at the country’s anti-terrorism court and was confirmed by their legal representative. Political detentions during a tense election year The freed PDCI officials were among dozens of opposition members arrested in 2025, a year marked by a highly contentious presidential election in Côte d’Ivoire. Their lawyer confirmed their release on social media, stating: “Following today’s hearing at…