PREVIEW
Pointers this week from Sierra Leone, São Tomé and Príncipe, Zambia, Algeria and Sudan
SIERRA LEONE: The European Commission is understood to have been irritated by Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel’s claim that the suspension of aid and budget support for Sierra Leone was due to Freetown’s refusal to extradite wanted drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers. The EU formally suspended support on 1 October after a meeting of justice ministers in Luxembourg. EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner told reporters the decision was taken for ‘technical reasons’, without giving more detail. Sierra Leone’s Information Minister Chernor Bah played down the move on Thursday, noting that EU disbursements had been proposed for 2027 and 2028. Sierra Leone had been set to receive €18 million this year.
SÃO TOMÉ AND PRÍNCIPE: São Tomé could be set for a grand coalition after the opposition Movimento de Libertação de São Tomé e Príncipe/Partido Socialdemocrata (MLSTP/PSD) narrowly won the 27 September elections with 24 seats and 37.5%, edging out the ruling Acção Democrática Independente (ADI), led by Prime Minister Américo Ramos who took 36.6% and 23 seats. Movimento Basta! and Movimento de Cidadãos Independentes-Partido Socialista (MCI-PS) also secured seats, though the d’Hondt system awarded the MCI-PS six seats on 8.3% compared with Basta’s two on 9.3%. Turnout fell to a record low of 41.3%. MLSTP/PSD leader Américo Barros says he will seek a minority government tolerated by the ADI and has ruled out a coalition with the two smaller parties.
ZAMBIA: President Hakainde Hichilema used his first trip abroad since his re-election last month to urge Gulf investors to comply fully with Zambia’s procurement rules. Africa’s second-largest copper producer is benefiting from rising prices driven by demand for metals used in electric vehicles and power grids. Regulations introduced last year require mines to source more core goods and services locally. During the visit, Hichilema met Ali Rashed Alrashdi, CEO of the Abu Dhabi-based International Resources Holding, which co-owns Mopani mine, one of Zambia’s oldest copper mines, with the state-owned Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines. In a Facebook post, he urged Mopani to raise output as Zambia aims to more than triple copper to 3 million tonnes by 2030.
ALGERIA/SPAIN: A leaders’ summit between President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez remains scheduled for late October, despite speculation in Madrid that it could be cancelled. Spain’s shift to support Morocco’s sovereignty plan for Western Sahara has strained relations with Algiers; but ties with Morocco were damaged by the border surge in Ceuta in late July. Madrid is keen to increase gas imports from Algeria via the Medgaz pipeline.
SUDAN: Record gold production, revenues and export receipts were posted in the first nine months of 2026, the state-run Sudanese Mineral Resources Company said on 6 October. Gold export earnings reached US$2.292 billion between January and September, while domestic fiscal revenue rose to 1.886 trillion Sudanese pounds, exceeding targets by 31%, the company said. Sudan produced an estimated 70 metric tonnes of gold last year, but the central bank recorded only 14 metric tonnes in formal exports, highlighting the persistent gap due to smuggling.
DEVELOPMENT AID: France’s new budget plans would cut future development commitments by US$2.1 billion and reduce 2027 disbursements by 11%, or more than €400 million. It would be the sixth consecutive annual reduction, following cuts of 37% and 18% in 2025 and 2026 respectively.
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