The constitutional court has overturned the conviction of the former president s son in a fraud case, citing violations of his right to a fair trial, Angola s beleaguered former First Family has enjoyed a small victory after the country s constitutional court voided the 2020 conviction of José Filomeno dos Santos, aka Zenú, who has been serving his sentence under house arrest.
Ramping up its international role, the African Union is still struggling to respond to the continent s conflicts, Joining the G20 and signing a new cooperation deal on peacekeeping missions with the UN, the African Union is expanding its footprint in the international system. But its summit in Addis Ababa on 17-18 February showcased its political contradictions and its lack of strategic independence. It is far from self-funding and many member states are still in heavy arrears of levies owed to the AU headquarters.
, Not so much a policy revamp as a public relaunch: that was the message of Emmanuel Macron s Elysée palace address on 27 February, two days before flying to Libreville, Luanda, Brazzaville and Kinshasa.
An emboldened opposition and internal dissent point to hard months ahead for the President, President João Lourenço came out of last August s elections doubly weakened – by the opposition, which made historic gains despite the ruling Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola (MPLA s) control of state institutions, and within his own party. The Angolan President s first decisions of the new mandate point to a three-pronged strategy to rebuild his position.
, Isabel dos Santos is planning to take the PR fight to her late father s successor, Angolan President João Lourenço, by hiring K-Street lobbyists with close links to former United States President Donald Trump and a history of controversial clients.