MONCEF MARZOUKI

Many are fêting the pragmatism of Tunisia's Islamist party Ennahda, but Marzouki, the new president, has turned his into an art form, batting away complaints from secular liberals and building bridges with the new leaders in Libya.

ISAIAS AFEWERKI

Despite the toughening of UN sanctions in early December, an upswing in gold investment and mining revenue set to benefit the state-owned mining company could help shore up the isolated government of the Eritrean president.

KWESI BOTCHWEY

The chairman of Ghana's National Gas Development Task Force presided over the award of a $700m contract with the China Development Bank for the gas processing plant near Takoradi.