AGP Executive Report

Wildlife Justice in Ewo: Seven people are set to appear Monday 28 September before the High Court of Ewo in Cuvette-Ouest over alleged leopard trophy trafficking dating to 18 May, involving four leopard skins plus a skull and teeth; the accused are presumed innocent as the court weighs pleadings and the prosecutor’s closing submissions. Mining Deal in Bouenza: Gerald Group has taken full control of Soremi, the copper and zinc complex at M’Fouati, with the takeover announced in Brazzaville during a 24 September audience with President Denis Sassou N’Guesso. Energy + Tech Push in Brazzaville: Ministers Jean-Jacques Bouya and Frédéric Nzé toured the Bacongo data centre and the Kintélé solar farm, saying the data centre is about 82% built and could be operational by year-end or early next year. Health System Pressure: A Brazzaville editorial says death has become “ordinary,” citing a widely repeated claim of up to 40 burials a day and pointing to costly care, fragile hospitals and poverty. Local Content Drive: Nigeria’s Heineken Lokpobiri told a Congo delegation in Abuja that indigenous firms now produce over 60% of Nigeria’s oil and gas, and Congo is studying the model to boost its own local participation. Media Law Meets AI: A salon in Kintélé urged updating Congo’s media laws and completing implementing rules to match today’s digital platforms and artificial intelligence.

Wildlife Justice in Cuvette-Ouest: Seven people are set to appear Monday 28 September before the High Court of Ewo over alleged leopard-skin trafficking, with four skins plus a skull and teeth seized on 18 May; the case will be heard far from Brazzaville and is still unproven. Mining Deal in Bouenza: Gerald Group has taken full control of Soremi, the copper-and-zinc complex at M’Fouati, a move announced publicly in Brazzaville during a 24 September meeting with President Denis Sassou N’Guesso. Energy Push Meets Delivery Deadlines: Ministers Jean-Jacques Bouya and Frédéric Nzé toured the Bacongo data centre (about 82% built) and the Kintélé solar farm, arguing electricity readiness is key to making the data centre operational by year-end or early next year. Health System Pressure: A Brazzaville editorial highlights how death has become “ordinary,” pointing to the cost and fragility of care as families struggle through illness. Security Remembrance: Congo marked 37 years since the UTA 772 bombing with a wreath-laying ceremony in Brazzaville and renewed warnings to stay vigilant. Oil Local Content Lessons: Nigeria’s local-content drive—now said to put indigenous firms at about 60% of output—was discussed in Abuja during talks with Congo’s hydrocarbons delegation. Media Law Update: A Salon de l’information, de la communication et des médias (SICOM) in Kintélé urged modernising outdated media statutes and finishing implementing rules amid AI and digital broadcasting. Sports Spotlight: Namibia’s Brave Warriors began Afcon 2027 qualifiers with a 1-0 win over Congo in Gaborone.

Wildlife Justice: Seven suspects are set to appear Monday 28 September before the High Court of Ewo in Cuvette-Ouest over alleged leopard-skin trafficking, with four skins plus a skull and teeth seized on 18 May; they remain presumed innocent until the court rules. Mining Deal: Gerald Group has taken full control of the Soremi copper-and-zinc complex at M’Fouati in Bouenza, announced in Brazzaville during a meeting with President Denis Sassou N’Guesso. Energy & Tech: Brazzaville officials say a Bacongo data centre is about 82% built and could be operational by year-end, linking sovereignty and reliability of electricity to digital growth. Health Pressure: A Brazzaville editorial highlights the grim normalisation of death in the capital, pointing to the cost and gaps of healthcare as families struggle to pay for consultations, medicines and tests. Security Memory: Congo marked 37 years since the UTA 772 bombing with a wreath-laying ceremony in Brazzaville and renewed warnings to stay vigilant. Media Reform: A new Salon de l’information in Kintélé pushed for updating Congo’s media laws to match today’s digital and AI-driven environment.

Mining & Investment: Gerald Group has taken full control of Soremi, the copper and zinc complex at M’Fouati in Bouenza, with the change of hands publicly surfaced in Brazzaville during a 24 September audience involving President Denis Sassou N’Guesso. Energy & Infrastructure: Brazzaville’s data-centre push gets a political push too: Deputy Prime Minister Jean-Jacques Bouya and Minister Frédéric Nzé toured Bacongo and the Kintélé solar farm, saying the data centre is about 82% built and could be operational by year-end. Health & Daily Life: A Brazzaville editorial says death has become “ordinary,” pointing to the cost and fragility of care and the lack of reliable counting behind a widely repeated claim of “40 bodies” buried each day. Security & Memory: Congo marked 37 years since the UTA 772 bombing with a wreath-laying at the stele of the disappeared, while civil aviation officials warned the threat is not gone. Sports: Namibia opened its Afcon 2027 qualifying campaign with a 1-0 win over Congo in Gaborone. Diplomacy: A Congolese senator met Belgium’s parliament friendship group leader in Brussels to expand parliamentary ties and dialogue. Local Content (Regional): Nigeria’s oil minister says indigenous firms now produce about 60% of output, and Congo is studying Nigeria’s local content model to boost its own petroleum participation.

Mining & Diplomacy: Gerald Group has taken full control of the Soremi copper and zinc complex at M’Fouati in Bouenza, with the takeover publicly surfaced in Brazzaville during a 24 September audience involving President Denis Sassou N’Guesso and a US embassy delegation. Energy & Digital Infrastructure: Brazzaville’s data centre project at Bacongo is reported about 82% built, with officials linking delivery timing to power readiness, while a solar farm visit underscored the push to make electricity the real bottleneck-breaker. Health System Pressure: A Brazzaville editorial says death has become “ordinary,” pointing to the compounding burden of costly care, fragile hospitals, poverty, and a lack of reliable counting. Security & Memory: Congo marked 37 years since the UTA 772 bombing with a wreath-laying ceremony in Brazzaville and aviation officials warning that the threat remains. Local Governance & Media Reform: A salon in Kintélé pushed for updating Congo’s media laws to match today’s digital and AI-driven reality, stressing that implementing rules matter as much as the texts. Sports: Namibia’s Brave Warriors began Afcon 2027 qualifiers with a 1-0 win over Congo in Gaborone. Regional Finance: COSUMAF revoked Axiome Capital’s license and moved to liquidate it after three years without market activity.

UN Diplomacy Shock: At the UN General Assembly, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu delivered his speech after dozens of delegations walked out; reports say up to 77 countries were absent or left, with several major Muslim-majority states notably not joining the boycott. Indigenous Rights vs Conservation: A Nairobi gathering of Indigenous people fighting conservation practices and carbon offset projects will issue a landmark declaration denouncing evictions and rights abuses, with signatories from 16 countries. Fraud Victims Returned: Four young Congolese flown home from Chad after nine months of confinement and extortion, following fake job offers; investigators are pursuing the network. Powering Data Sovereignty: In Brazzaville, ministers toured the Bacongo data centre (about 82% built) and a Kintélé solar farm, arguing electricity is key to making the centre operational by year-end. Health System Pressure: A Brazzaville editorial highlights a grim, widely repeated claim of “40 bodies buried each day,” linking it to costly care, fragile hospitals, and poverty. Aviation Remembrance: Congo marked 37 years since the UTA 772 bombing, with civil aviation officials warning the threat has not receded. Media Law Update: Congo’s first SICOM salon pushed for modernising outdated media statutes and finishing implementing regulations amid AI and digital broadcasting. Oil Local Content Push: Nigeria’s minister says indigenous firms now produce about 60% of Nigeria’s oil; Congo’s hydrocarbons delegation is studying the model to boost local participation. Finance Watch: COSUMAF revoked Axiome Capital’s license and ordered liquidation after three years of no market activity. Mining Progress: Work is advancing on the box cut for Congo’s Hinda phosphate mine near Pointe-Noire, with sampling and testing steps underway.

Parliamentary Diplomacy: In Brussels, Congolese Senator Gabriel Nzambila met Belgium’s Els Van Hoof of the Belgium-Congo Friendship Group to deepen parliamentary ties, with both sides stressing friendship, cooperation and dialogue. Security Remembrance: Congo marked 37 years since the UTA 772 bombing, laying a wreath at Brazzaville’s Stele of the Disappeared and urging continued vigilance as officials warned the threat has not receded. Public Health Pressure: A Brazzaville editorial says death has become “ordinary” in daily life, pointing to gaps in healthcare access and the cost of treatment—fueling a widely shared fear that institutions are not counting or responding reliably. Congo-Business & Finance: Brazzaville hosted banking and private-sector discussions on how much credit can expand before balance sheets strain, alongside a World Bank-backed private sector diagnostic urging reforms as the state’s fiscal space tightens. Oil Local Content Push: Nigeria’s minister Heineken Lokpobiri told a visiting Congolese delegation that indigenous firms now produce over 60% of Nigeria’s oil and gas, as Congo studies how to apply similar local content gains. Media Reform: A new Salon de l’information in Kintélé called for updating Congo’s media laws to match today’s digital and AI-driven environment, including completing implementing regulations. Environment & Climate: A Nature Communications study warns Central African forests are losing more carbon than they gain, challenging the region’s long-held reputation as a stable climate buffer. Mining Progress: Kropz says construction of the box cut for the Hinda phosphate mine near Pointe-Noire is advancing, with sampling underway for upcoming metallurgical testing.

Health Crisis in Brazzaville: A new editorial in La Semaine Africaine says death has become “ordinary” in the capital, with a widely repeated claim of about 40 burials a day—an unverified figure that reflects a deeper fear that institutions are no longer counting or containing the problem. Cost of Care: The piece links illness to household budgets: families face a chain of expenses for consultations, medicines, tests and transport, turning health into an “obstacle course” rather than a service. Banking Governance Shift: CCA-Bank is reorganizing ahead of expansion, naming Paul Essimi Ngono as Board Chair for Cameroon operations from Jan. 1, 2027, while founder Albert Nkemla focuses on the wider group. Regulator Action in CEMAC: COSUMAF revoked Axiome Capital’s license and ordered liquidation after the firm did no market activity for three years, also stripping its manager’s individual authorization. Local Content Push: Congo’s hydrocarbons delegation met Nigeria’s Heineken Lokpobiri, who says indigenous firms now produce about 60% of Nigeria’s oil and gas—Congo wants to adapt that model. Private Sector Reform: Brazzaville presented a World Bank-backed Private Sector Diagnostic, aiming to boost private investment as state fiscal space tightens. Sports & Culture: Italy’s embassy backed the Enrico Mattei youth football tournament in Pointe-Noire, pairing competition with school kits and fair play.

Congo Banking & Finance: CCA-Bank is reorganizing its governance as it expands across Africa, separating Cameroon oversight from group strategy; Paul Essimi Ngono is set to become Board Chair of CCA Bank Cameroon from Jan. 1, 2027 (pending COBAC approval), while founder Albert Nkemla will focus on the wider group and its push into banking, insurance, markets, tech and shared services. CEMAC Market Oversight: COSUMAF revoked Axiome Capital’s license and ordered liquidation after the Brazzaville-based advisory firm failed to conduct any market activity for three years, also stripping manager Attendu Bogalys Mboussa Galibayi of his individual license. Oil & Local Content: Nigeria’s Heineken Lokpobiri says indigenous firms now produce about 60% of Nigeria’s crude, and Congo’s hydrocarbons minister Stève Onanga is in Abuja to study Nigeria’s local content model to boost Congolese participation. Health & Daily Life: A Brazzaville editorial claims up to 40 bodies are buried each day, pointing to a society struggling to explain why deaths are rising and how the health system and household finances are failing. Private Sector & Diversification: Brazzaville hosted a World Bank/IFC-backed Private Sector Diagnostic, urging reforms to strengthen the private sector as the state faces tighter fiscal space. Media Reform: A Brazzaville salon called for updating Congo’s media laws to match today’s digital broadcasting and AI reality, including finishing implementing regulations. Environment & Forests: A new Nature Communications study warns Central African forests are losing more carbon than they gain, challenging the region’s long-held climate-buffer reputation. Mining & Industry: Kropz plc reports progress on the Hinda phosphate project’s box cut near Pointe-Noire, with sampling underway for metallurgical testing.

Refugee Policy: The Trump administration plans to cap next year’s refugee inflow at 17,500, down from Biden’s 125,000, with arrivals “primarily” described as Afrikaners from South Africa, and resettlement projected to cost $500 million. Banking & Credit: In Brazzaville, senior bankers and finance leaders met for three days to debate how much credit Congo and regional institutions can extend without straining their own balance sheets, with UBA Congo among the voices pushing for more lending that stays resilient. SME Finance: A separate focus on “ecosystem banking” highlights how African banks are bundling payments, lending, trade finance and digital tools to reach SMEs that struggle with collateral and paperwork. Public Health Alarm: A Brazzaville editorial claims up to 40 bodies are buried each day, pointing to a wider perception that health and social systems are failing families as illness becomes an “obstacle course” of costs. Oil Local Content: Nigeria’s local firms now produce about 60% of crude, and Congo is studying Nigeria’s local-content blueprint to grow indigenous participation in its own petroleum sector. Media Reform: Congo’s media laws face an “AI reckoning,” as a salon in Kintélé calls for modernizing outdated media statutes and finishing implementing regulations. Environment: A new Nature Communications study warns Central African forests are losing more carbon than they gain, challenging the region’s long-held climate-buffer reputation. Tourism Diplomacy: Venezuela and Congo discussed boosting bilateral tourism cooperation, including follow-ups to a 2025 visit to the Ngabé site. Mining Progress: Work continues on the Hinda phosphate project near Pointe-Noire, with box-cut construction progressing and sampling set for lab testing in South Africa.

Banking & Finance: In Brazzaville, senior bankers met for days to debate how much credit Congo and regional institutions can extend without stressing their own balance sheets, with UBA Congo pushing a case for more lending tied to resilience, integration, infrastructure financing and a stronger business climate. Public Health & Safety: A Brazzaville editorial claims up to 40 bodies are buried each day, pointing to a wider perception that deaths are rising and that health and social systems are struggling—especially where illness becomes an “obstacle course” of costs for consultations, medicines and tests. Oil & Local Content: Nigeria’s petroleum minister Heineken Lokpobiri told a Congo delegation in Abuja that indigenous firms now produce about 60% of Nigeria’s crude output, and Congo is studying the policy model to boost its own local participation. Private Sector Reform: A World Bank/IFC-backed Private Sector Diagnostic presented in Brazzaville argues for reforms to expand private-sector growth as the state faces tighter fiscal space. Media Regulation: Congo’s media stakeholders gathered in Kintélé to push modernization of outdated media laws so they can fit today’s digital broadcasting and AI-driven realities. Women in Tech: A Brazzaville partnership launched a six-month tech scholarship to get more women into Congo’s digital economy, with women-led training at the center.

Local Oil & Gas Content: Nigeria’s petroleum minister Heineken Lokpobiri says indigenous firms now produce over 60% of Nigeria’s oil and gas output, crediting local content rules and divestments from international operators. Congo Learns From Nigeria: Congo’s hydrocarbons minister Stève Simplice Onanga led a delegation to Abuja to study Nigeria’s local content framework, aiming to boost indigenous participation and keep more value at home. Private Sector Push: Brazzaville is using a World Bank/IFC “Private Sector Diagnostic” to guide reforms as state finances tighten, with a focus on a stronger private sector and a better business climate. Media Modernisation: Congo’s media laws are being urged to catch up with digital broadcasting and AI, with calls to finish implementing regulations for key statutes. Environment & Carbon: A new study warns Central African forests may be losing more carbon than they gain, challenging the region’s long-held climate buffer reputation. Women in Tech: A Brazzaville scholarship partnership targets the digital gender gap, training women for six months in new technologies.

Oil & Gas Local Content: Nigeria’s petroleum minister says local content is now driving indigenous firms to over 60% of the country’s oil and gas output, as Congo’s hydrocarbons minister visits to discuss local content development. Economic Diversification: Brazzaville is presenting a World Bank-backed private sector diagnostic aimed at boosting profitability, competition, transparency and investment security as the state faces tighter fiscal space. Media Reform: Congo’s media laws are being pushed to catch up with the digital era and AI, with lawmakers focusing not just on revising statutes but also on finishing the implementing regulations. Forests & Climate: A new high-resolution study warns Central African forests are shifting toward net carbon losses, challenging the region’s long-held role as a reliable climate buffer. Sports & Youth: Italy’s embassy-backed Enrico Mattei tournament in Pointe-Noire runs for three days and includes women’s teams and school kits for participants. Women in Tech: A Brazzaville partnership launches a six-month scholarship to get more women into digital careers, using “women teaching women” as the model. Health Workforce: Congo and Benin compare approaches to sustaining community health workers as Brazzaville targets more than doubling its active workforce by 2030.

Tourism Diplomacy: Venezuela’s ambassador to the Republic of Congo, Laura Evangelia Suárez, met Congo’s tourism minister Prince Bertrand Bahamboula to discuss boosting bilateral cooperation, highlighting the country’s nature, culture and “popular tourism” initiatives. Mining Progress: Kropz plc says construction of the box cut for the Hinda phosphate mine near Pointe-Noire is advancing, with sampling underway and metallurgical tests planned in South Africa. Health Workforce: Congo’s health ministry is working with Benin to sustain community health workers under its 2025–2030 plan, aiming to more than double active workers by 2030. Women in Tech: Congo’s Women’s Advisory Council and Hoz Fablab launched a six-month scholarship to get more women into digital careers, stressing that tech can be “written in the feminine.” Politics & Economy: UPADS opposition leaders in Brazzaville urged an emergency austerity plan, citing worsening debt, poverty and joblessness figures. International Spotlight: A report says some Latin American deportees have been relocated to the Republic of Congo, while others were sent to Liberia, describing fear and “stateless” limbo.

Tourism Diplomacy: Venezuela’s ambassador to Congo, Laura Evangelia Suárez, met Congo’s tourism minister Prince Bertrand Bahamboula to push bilateral cooperation under a tourism memorandum, highlighting sites like Ngabé and the push for popular cultural tourism. Mining Development: Kropz plc says construction of the box cut for the Hinda phosphate project near Pointe-Noire is progressing, with local contractors involved and sampling underway for lab testing in South Africa. Health Workforce: Congo’s health ministry is working with Benin in South-South cooperation to sustain community health workers, tied to Congo’s plan to more than double active workers by 2030. Women in Tech: Congo’s Women’s Advisory Council and Hoz Fablab launched a six-month scholarship for female students to build skills for the digital economy, aiming to challenge the idea that tech is only for men. Politics & Economy: UPADS opposition leaders in Brazzaville cited African Development Bank-linked figures on debt, poverty and jobs, calling for an emergency austerity plan. Regional Energy/Infrastructure: CABEF in Douala discussed a communication strategy for deploying CAPS to boost public understanding and investor confidence in Central Africa’s energy infrastructure. International Mobility: A report says some Latin American deportees have been relocated to the Republic of Congo, describing fear and “limbo” after U.S. immigration actions.

Tourism Diplomacy: Venezuela’s ambassador to the Republic of Congo, Laura Evangelia Suárez, met tourism minister Prince Bertrand Bahamboula to push bilateral cooperation under a signed tourism memorandum, highlighting the country’s nature, culture and interior sites like Ngabé. Mining Progress: Kropz plc says construction of the box cut for the Hinda phosphate mine near Pointe-Noire is advancing, with local contractors working on the initial excavation and a sampling campaign underway for metallurgical testing in South Africa. Energy & Regional Infrastructure: At CABEF headquarters in Douala, Central African energy stakeholders discussed a communication strategy to build public understanding and investor confidence around the CAPS regional energy project. Tech & Mobility in Congo: Gozem co-founder Gregory Costamagna, whose ride-hailing and delivery platform operates across Central Africa including the Republic of Congo, is profiled for the company’s expansion from Togo to multiple markets. International Diplomacy: Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic received credentials from non-resident ambassadors including the Republic of Congo’s, signaling continued diplomatic engagement. Humanitarian Fallout of Deportations: A report says some Latin American deportees have been relocated to the Republic of Congo, describing fear and uncertainty after U.S. immigration actions.