US Visa Overhaul for Africa: The U.S. will stop routine visa processing at its Abuja embassy and 24 other African missions from August 1, 2026, redirecting applicants to designated regional hubs (including Malabo, Libreville, Lagos, Luanda and Yaoundé) as part of a consular restructuring aimed at tighter security screening and more consistent adjudication. Regional Finance: In CEMAC, banks are stepping up borrowing from BEAC after recent rate cuts, with refinancing requests rising to CFA680bn on July 22, signaling stronger demand for central bank liquidity across Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and the Central African Republic. Territorial Deal in the Gulf of Corisco: Angola-based reporting says Gabon and Equatorial Guinea signed a Joint Commitment Agreement at the AU to implement the ICJ ruling on land and maritime delimitation, including mechanisms for border demarcation and shared resource management around Mbanié, Cocotiers and Conga. Energy & Markets: Vaalco Energy scheduled its Q2 2026 earnings release for August 6 and a conference call for August 7, with assets across Gabon, Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea. Anti-Corruption in France: French prosecutors have requested trials tied to the long-running “ill-gotten gains” probe, including BNP Paribas and individuals linked to former Gabonese President Omar Bongo’s family, with Equatorial Guinea named in the original complaint.