AGP Executive Report

Diplomacy & Tech Transfer: Sri Lanka’s first female Permanent Representative to UNECA, Nirmala Paranavitana, presented credentials and discussed practical Africa ties including textiles and apparel value-chain development with Equatorial Guinea plus agriculture, power-sector cooperation, and digital skills. Regional Payments: BEAC is pushing interoperable digital payments across CEMAC, rolling out a CEMAC QR system that routes merchant payments through GIMACPAY to boost financial inclusion. Aviation Growth (EG link): Nigeria’s Ibom Air hit 5 million passengers and added an Airbus A220-300, with plans to expand routes including Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. Migration Safety Concerns: Reuters reports police in Malabo pulled firearms on US third-country deportees, raising alarms over medical care, legal access, and safety. Food Systems: Kigali hosted the Africa Food Systems Forum, urging action on financing and resilience to turn food declarations into real farm-to-market delivery. Connectivity Costs: A study ranks UK 46th for mobile broadband data cost, highlighting how pricing varies widely across markets.

Food Systems & Youth Jobs: Kigali hosted the 20th Africa Food Systems Forum, where 5,000 delegates backed a $10bn plan to feed Africa by 2030, but warned the real test is turning promises into soil-to-plate delivery like cold rooms, markets, and farm-level financing. Regional Payments Tech: BEAC is pushing interoperable digital payments across CEMAC, rolling out a CEMAC QR code system that lets people pay via smartphones across banks and mobile money wallets through GIMACPAY. Aviation & Connectivity: Nigeria’s Ibom Air hit about 5 million passengers and added an Airbus A220-300A, with plans to expand routes to include Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, boosting regional travel links. Diplomacy & Tech Trade: Sri Lanka’s envoy to UNECA flagged cooperation with Africa on agriculture, technology exchange, investment, and even textiles with Equatorial Guinea. Migration Safety Concerns: Reuters reports police pulled firearms on US third-country deportees in Malabo, raising alarms over medical care, legal access, and security for detainees. Banking & Finance: Geneva opened a tax proceeding against Cameroonian banker Paul Fokam over undeclared wealth during his Swiss tax residency, with no court ruling yet. Green Card Data: US DV-2026 figures show Equatorial Guinea among African countries with low Green Card selectees (12).

Bioko Island Biodiversity: A Canadian entomologist working in Equatorial Guinea’s rainforests used dung-baited traps to formally describe three new dung beetle species from Onthophagus, underscoring how much local biodiversity can still be hidden even in well-studied ecosystems. Regional Digital Finance: BEAC is pushing interoperable payments across CEMAC, rolling out a CEMAC QR code system that lets people pay across banks and mobile money wallets via GIMAC/GIMACPAY, aiming to boost financial inclusion. Aviation Growth (Malabo link): Akwa Ibom’s Ibom Air hit nearly 5 million passengers and added an Airbus A220-300, with plans to expand routes including Malabo, supporting more tech-enabled regional connectivity. Food Systems (Kigali): Rwanda hosted the Africa Food Systems Forum, where leaders agreed on a $10B push to improve agri-food systems—while stressing the hard part is turning promises into on-the-ground delivery. Migration Safety Concern: Reuters reports police pulled firearms on US third-country deportees in Malabo, raising fresh alarms about medical care, legal access, and safety.

Digital Finance in CEMAC: BEAC is pushing interoperable payments across Central Africa, rolling out a CEMAC QR system that lets people pay across banks and mobile wallets via GIMAC/GIMACPAY, aiming to lift financial inclusion in the bloc. Aviation & Greener Flight Plans: Cameroon’s civil aviation authority has started a feasibility study for a national sustainable aviation fuel industry, looking at regulation, certification, sustainability reporting and emissions impacts. Bioko Biodiversity Discovery: A Canadian entomologist working on Bioko Island used dung-baited traps to formally describe three new dung beetle species, underscoring how much local biodiversity can still be unknown. Malabo Deportation Safety Concerns: Reuters reports police pulled firearms on US third-country deportees in Malabo after a dispute over mobile phones, raising alarms about medical care and legal access. Equatorial Guinea in Regional Air Routes: Ibom Air hit about 5 million passengers and added an Airbus A220-300 to reach a 10-aircraft fleet, with plans to expand routes including Malabo. Tech & Connectivity Costs: A Broadband Genie study ranks the UK 46th for average mobile broadband data cost, offering a benchmark for how pricing varies by market. Immigration Policy Debate: An opinion piece argues “belonging” in the US has long been shaped by race-based exclusion, echoing historical laws and statements.

Tax & Finance: Geneva’s cantonal tax authority has opened proceedings against Cameroonian banker Paul Kammogne Fokam (Afriland First Bank founder), demanding millions of francs over alleged undeclared wealth during his Swiss tax residency, with no court ruling yet. Aviation & Connectivity: Akwa Ibom’s Ibom Air says it has hit about 5 million passengers and expanded its fleet with a new Airbus A220-300, aiming to add routes including Douala, Libreville and Malabo by 2027. Digital Payments: BEAC is pushing interoperable payments across CEMAC, rolling out a CEMAC QR system that lets customers pay across banks and mobile wallets via GIMACPAY. Climate Tech (Aviation Fuel): Cameroon’s civil aviation authority has started a feasibility study for a national sustainable aviation fuel industry, including regulation and life-cycle assessment under ICAO’s CORSIA. Local Science (Biology): A Canadian entomologist working on Bioko Island used dung-baited traps to formally describe three new dung beetle species, highlighting how much biodiversity can still be missed. Migration Safety: Reuters reports police in Malabo pulled firearms on US third-country deportees, raising concerns about medical care, legal access and safety.

Aviation Expansion: Ibom Air, Akwa Ibom’s state-owned carrier, hit about 5 million passengers (4,953,512) across 65,152 scheduled flights and added a new Airbus A220-300, bringing its active fleet to 10 aircraft; the airline says it plans to grow to 12 destinations and 15 routes by 2027, including new regional links to Douala, Libreville, and Malabo. Regional Payments Tech: BEAC is pushing interoperable digital payments across CEMAC, rolling out a CEMAC QR code system that lets customers pay across banks and mobile money wallets via GIMACPAY, aiming to boost financial inclusion. Biodiversity Research (Bioko): A Canadian entomologist working in Equatorial Guinea’s Bioko rainforest used dung-baited traps to identify and describe three new dung beetle species, underscoring how much local biodiversity can still be unknown. Migration Safety Concerns: Reuters reports Equatorial Guinea police pulled firearms on US third-country deportees in Malabo, with witnesses citing disputes over phone access and lawyers warning of security and care risks. Mobile Connectivity Costs: A study by Broadband Genie ranks the UK 46th for average mobile broadband data cost ($0.27 per 1GB), offering a benchmark for how pricing varies globally.

Immigration & Safety: Reuters reports Equatorial Guinea police pulled firearms on US third-country deportees in Malabo after a dispute over mobile phones, raising fresh concerns over medical care, legal access and detainee safety. Digital Finance: BEAC (CEMAC central bank) is pushing interoperable payments across Central Africa, rolling out a CEMAC QR system that lets merchants pay via participating banks and mobile money wallets using GIMAC/GIMACPAY routing. Biodiversity Research (Bioko): A Canadian entomologist’s Bioko Island fieldwork using dung-baited traps led to the formal description of three new dung beetle species, underscoring how much local biodiversity can still be unknown. Aviation Tech (Regional): Cameroon’s Civil Aviation Authority has started a feasibility study for a sustainable aviation fuel industry, aiming to assess resources, regulations and emissions compliance under ICAO’s CORSIA. Connectivity Costs (Benchmark): A Broadband Genie study ranks the UK 46th for average mobile broadband data cost, highlighting how pricing comparisons can vary by plan rules and market conditions. Global Supply Chains: Xinhua highlights China’s push to strengthen overseas supply chains and trade routes through investment fairs and partner cooperation.

Digital Finance in CEMAC: BEAC rolled out a CEMAC QR code system to speed up interoperable payments across Cameroon, Chad, CAR, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Congo, routing transactions through GIMAC/GIMACPAY to support financial inclusion goals. Bioko Biodiversity Discovery: A Canadian entomologist used dung-baited traps in Equatorial Guinea’s Bioko rainforests to formally describe three new dung beetle species, underscoring how much local biodiversity still needs cataloguing. Aviation Decarbonisation Study: Cameroon’s Civil Aviation Authority began a feasibility study for a national sustainable aviation fuel industry, aiming to cut air-transport emissions and align with CORSIA. Regional Aviation Expansion: Nigeria’s Ibom Air added an Airbus A220-300, pushing plans for more domestic and regional routes including Malabo, as it targets broader hub growth. Oil & Trade Context: Uganda branded its crude “Pearl Sweet” ahead of exports via the EACOP pipeline, while China highlighted supply-chain cooperation at CIFIT—both signals of shifting regional logistics and energy flows. Migration Safety Concern: Reuters reports Equatorial Guinea police pulled firearms on US third-country deportees in Malabo, raising fresh alarms about detainee treatment and legal access.

Digital Finance: BEAC is pushing interoperable payments across the CEMAC bloc, rolling out a CEMAC QR code system that lets users pay across banks and mobile money wallets via GIMAC/GIMACPAY, aiming to lift financial inclusion to 60% by 2029 and 75% by 2032. Aviation & Climate Tech: Cameroon’s Civil Aviation Authority has started a feasibility study for a national sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry, looking at local resources, production technologies, regulation and life-cycle emissions to help airlines meet ICAO/CORSIA requirements. Bioko Biodiversity Research: A Canadian entomologist working on Bioko Island used dung-baited traps to identify and formally describe three new dung beetle species, showing how much biodiversity can still be hidden even in well-studied ecosystems. Regional Connectivity in Practice: Nigeria’s Ibom Air says it has expanded to 10 aircraft and plans new routes including Douala, Libreville and Malabo, with growth tied to airport and maintenance upgrades. Oil Branding & Infrastructure: Uganda has named its crude “Pearl Sweet,” linking the low-sulphur blend to planned exports via the EACOP pipeline to Tanzania’s Tanga port.

Digital Payments in CEMAC: BEAC is pushing interoperable mobile and merchant payments across Central Africa with a CEMAC QR system that routes transactions via GIMAC/GIMACPAY, aiming to lift financial inclusion across member states including Equatorial Guinea. Green Aviation Fuel Study: Cameroon’s Civil Aviation Authority has kicked off a feasibility study for a national sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry, including regulation, certification, sustainability reporting and life-cycle emissions work under ICAO’s CORSIA. Regional Air Connectivity: Nigeria’s Ibom Air says it has expanded to a 10-aircraft fleet and is planning new routes that include Douala, Libreville and Malabo—an aviation link that could matter for cross-border tourism and business. Biodiversity Research in Bioko: A Canadian entomologist working on Bioko Island used dung-baited traps to formally describe three new dung beetle species, underlining how much local biodiversity can still be unknown. Mobile Broadband Costs: A new study by Broadband Genie ranks the UK 46th for average mobile broadband cost per GB, a reminder of how data pricing varies widely—useful context for regional connectivity debates.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel Push (Cameroon): Cameroon’s Civil Aviation Authority has kicked off a feasibility study to assess local resources, production technologies, and the rules needed to build a national sustainable aviation fuel industry, aiming to cut air-transport emissions and help airlines source fuel domestically under ICAO’s CORSIA framework. Regional Aviation Growth (Nigeria): Akwa Ibom’s state airline Ibom Air added a new Airbus A220-300, bringing its fleet to 10 and targeting more domestic and regional routes, including planned services to Douala, Libreville, and Malabo. Biodiversity Discovery (Equatorial Guinea): A Canadian entomologist working on Bioko Island used dung-baited traps to identify three new dung beetle species and refine classification of a related beetle, underscoring how much local biodiversity can still be missed without careful taxonomy. Oil Export Branding (Uganda): Uganda officially named its crude “Pearl Sweet,” linking the label to low sulphur content and setting up exports via the long East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline. Forest Governance Check (Congo Basin): A new report reviews whether Congo Basin forest agreements are actually being implemented, shifting focus from forest condition to governance and enforcement.

Aviation Decarbonisation: Cameroon’s Civil Aviation Authority has kicked off a feasibility study for a national sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry, assessing local resources, production technologies, and the regulatory steps needed to meet ICAO’s CORSIA requirements, with expected benefits including jobs, lower air-transport emissions, and use of domestic inputs. Regional Aviation Growth: Nigeria’s state-owned Ibom Air added a new Airbus A220-300, bringing its fleet to 10 and pushing toward 5 million passengers, while planning new domestic and regional routes including Douala, Libreville, and Malabo. Biodiversity Discovery (Equatorial Guinea): On Bioko Island, Canadian entomologist François Génier used dung-baited traps to identify three previously unknown dung beetle species, underscoring how much local biodiversity can remain undocumented. Oil & Infrastructure (East Africa): Uganda branded its crude export “Pearl Sweet,” tied to low sulphur and linked to the EACOP pipeline and planned ramp-up toward regional export capacity. Climate Finance: A new discussion highlights how carbon markets could help fund Africa’s green transition, amid a large climate-financing gap. Security & Recruitment Risks: Reporting from Cameroon describes families seeking answers after alleged Russian recruitment for the Ukraine front, with investigators citing hundreds of African recruits and deaths. Maritime Sanctions Evasion: Research claims Russia’s “shadow fleet” exploits African shipping registries via weak verification and false-flag practices to keep exporting oil.

Green Aviation Fuel Study: Cameroon’s Civil Aviation Authority has kicked off a feasibility study to assess resources, production technologies, and rules needed to build a national sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry, aiming to cut air-transport emissions and help airlines meet ICAO’s CORSIA requirements, including work on regulation, certification, sustainability reporting, and life-cycle assessment. Regional Aviation Expansion: Nigeria’s state-owned Ibom Air says it has grown to a 10-aircraft fleet and is nearing five million passengers, with plans to expand from current routes to more domestic and regional services—adding Douala (Cameroon), Libreville (Gabon), and Malabo (Equatorial Guinea) as part of its 2027 roadmap. Biodiversity Discovery in Equatorial Guinea: A Canadian entomologist working on Bioko Island reports three new dung beetle species from the genus Onthophagus, using dung-baited traps, underscoring how much local biodiversity can remain hidden and why taxonomy matters for conservation. Oil Sector Branding: Uganda has named its future crude export “Pearl Sweet,” tied to its low-sulphur profile, as production ramps up and crude moves via the long East African Crude Oil Pipeline to Tanzania’s port of Tanga.

Bioko Biodiversity Discovery: Canadian entomologist François Génier used dung-baited pitfall traps in Equatorial Guinea’s Bioko rainforest to formally describe three new dung beetle species (Onthophagus) and reassess another beetle’s classification, underscoring how much local biodiversity can still be hidden. Regional Aviation Expansion: Nigeria’s state-owned Ibom Air added a new Airbus A220-300, bringing its fleet to 10 and setting up more domestic and regional routes, including planned services to Douala, Libreville, and Malabo (Equatorial Guinea). Oil Sector Update (Uganda): Uganda branded its crude “Pearl Sweet” ahead of exports via the 1,443km EACOP pipeline, aiming for a plateau around 230,000 barrels per day—an East Africa supply shift with knock-on regional effects. Agriculture Tech Push: Goodluck Jonathan urged African leaders to move from agricultural declarations to action, calling for proven technologies, patient investment, and scaled commercialization to boost productivity and food security. Climate Finance Angle: A report highlights carbon markets as a potential funding route for Africa’s green transition, amid a major climate finance gap. Maritime Sanctions Evasion Risk: Research warns Russia’s sanctioned “shadow fleet” exploits weak African shipping registries through false flags and flag hopping to keep oil exports flowing.

Aviation & Connectivity: Akwa Ibom’s state airline Ibom Air adds a new Airbus A220-300, bringing its fleet to 10 and targeting expansion to 12 destinations and 15 routes by 2027, including new regional services to Douala, Libreville, and Malabo. Biodiversity Research (Bioko, Equatorial Guinea): Canadian entomologist François Génier used dung-baited traps in Bioko’s rainforests to formally describe three new dung beetle species, underscoring how much local biodiversity can still be missed without careful taxonomy. Oil & Infrastructure (Regional energy): Uganda brands its crude export blend “Pearl Sweet,” tied to low sulphur, as Tilenga and Kingfisher ramp toward a planned 230,000 barrels per day and ship via the 1,443km EACOP pipeline to Tanzania’s Tanga port. Climate Finance: A new look at carbon markets argues they could help fund Africa’s green transition, amid a large climate-finance gap and high vulnerability despite low global emissions. Security & Recruitment Risks: Cameroon’s families push for answers after alleged Russian recruitment draws African fighters into the Ukraine war, with reported deaths and calls to dismantle networks. Immigration Policy (US, global ripple): A US analysis claims America’s illegal immigrant population fell by about 2.3 million since January 2025, alongside a drop in the overall foreign-born population.

Biodiversity Discovery (Bioko, Equatorial Guinea): Canadian entomologist François Génier used dung-baited traps in Bioko’s rainforests to formally describe three new dung beetle species (Onthophagus) and re-check a previously treated subspecies—another reminder that even “known” ecosystems can still hide major life forms. Agritech & Youth Skills: Goodluck Jonathan urged African leaders to turn agricultural pledges into action by backing proven technologies, patient long-term funding, and scaled commercialization—while pushing youth-led innovation in agri-food systems. Oil & Regional Supply: Uganda named its low-sulphur crude “Pearl Sweet” as Tilenga and Kingfisher projects target a combined plateau of about 230,000 barrels per day, feeding exports via the EACOP pipeline to Tanzania. Climate Finance (Carbon Markets): A new discussion highlights how carbon markets could help close Africa’s climate funding gap by turning verified emissions cuts into tradable credits. Maritime Security (Russia’s “Shadow Fleet”): Researchers say Russia is exploiting weak African shipping registry checks—using false flags and flag-hopping—to keep sanctioned tankers operating and funding its war. US Deportations (Regional Impact): Reports describe expanded ICE deportation flights to African “third countries,” including Equatorial Guinea, raising concerns for people with medical issues or protection claims.