Month: July 2026

Cameroon pivots from private to public partnership for Sonara’s future The state-owned Sonara refinery in Limbé is undergoing a strategic transformation, with Cameroon abandoning the Parras 24 initiative to prioritize a public-private collaboration. This decisive shift aims to revitalize the country’s energy sector and secure long-term stability for its fuel supply. Why Cameroon is moving away from Parras 24 The decision to step back from the Parras 24 project reflects broader concerns about sustainability and economic viability. Unlike previous models, this new approach emphasizes government-led oversight while fostering private sector participation. Key factors driving this transition include: Enhanced control: A public partnership allows the government to directly influence ope...

Senegal's political storm over Macky Sall's returnPolitical tensions surge as former President Macky Sall lands in Dakar ahead of his scheduled meeting with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Friday, July 17.The anticipated visit has reignited fierce debates across the nation, with citizens and activists demanding accountability for the casualties and arrests during the 2021-2024 protest crackdowns. Boubacar Sèye, a prominent activist, condemned the timing of the visit, calling it "an affront to justice.""This marks the return of a leader whose tenure is still synonymous with one of the darkest chapters in recent history," he emphasized, highlighting the dozens of deaths and political detainees from that era.Divided reactions across the political spectrumEven within the government coalitio...

The Republic of Chad is set to make a groundbreaking move in African regional integration. Starting January 1, 2027, the country will eliminate visa requirements for all African citizens, a bold decision announced by President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno. This historic reform positions Chad among Africa’s most open nations for continental mobility. Unveiled during the opening of the African Water Forum in N’Djamena on July 15, 2026, the policy shift reflects a strategic vision for the country’s future. Supported by the World Bank, the forum provided the perfect platform to unveil this transformative initiative. Under the new rules, any African Union member state passport holder will be granted entry to Chad without prior visa formalities. This represents a significant departure from past pr...

Eleven years after the initial assessment, Gabon has officially met the requirements of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) mechanism for reviewing the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption. This milestone was confirmed during a direct dialogue session in Libreville from June 29 to July 1, 2026, led by Séraphin Ondoumba, the UNODC focal point for Gabon. The achievement follows the resolution 3/1 adopted in 2011 in New York, which outlines the evaluation cycles for signatory states. Gabon’s success is the result of coordinated efforts spearheaded by the National Commission for the Fight against Corruption and Illicit Enrichment (CNLCEI), under the leadership of President Nestor Mbou. The country is now fully compliant with the international sta...