First Independent Mena Newspaper
The Algerian government has been interested in buying additional 21% shares in the Annaba unit of the steel producing company, ArcelorMittal, for 200 million USD. As the state already owns 30% of the firm, such a transaction would make the Algerian government a de facto majority shareholder and owner of ArcelorMittal. The government reportedly wants […]
Saudi Arabia rounded up thousands of newcomer workers following the expiration of an amnesty introducing new employment rules. It is estimated that about a million of Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Filipinos, Nepalese, and Yemenis have left the country in the last three months in contrast to four millions of other workers who managed to get a […]
The security challenges posed to parts of the Atlantic Basin, particularly in Africa, by extremist ideology, weak institutions, economic uncertainty, and weak rule of law require a global and integrated approach that promotes socio-economic development. This is one of the conclusions reached by the Atlantic Dialogues 2013, an annual global issue forum that was held […]
Tunisian political parties have been unable to choose a new Prime Minister during their week long negotiations. Monday has been fixed as the new deadline for them. Some members of the opposition are accusing Ennahda of delaying the process in order to stay longer in power. Several names have been considered as potential candidates in […]
It was an excruciating experience for observers and journalists alike. Following the coup of 3 July 2013 and the quiet consolidation of power by army chief al-Sissi, the United States had to weigh its future policy vis-à-vis Egypt carefully. But nobody quite expected the diplomatic tussle that followed – an administration unwilling to recognise a […]
Shortly after Prime Minister Ali Zeidan announced on Wednesday that the Al-Harriga terminal which has a production capacity of 110,000 barrels will resume production and exportation after reaching an agreement with the protesters. Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) published on its website that it has lifted the force majeure on the oil terminal on Thursday. […]
Relations between the two Maghreban enemy brothers, Morocco and Algeria, have taken an ugly turn after the Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika called for the establishment of a mechanism to monitor human rights in Western Sahara, a territory whose independence is claimed by the Polisario. The call was immediately denounced by Morocco and to make its […]
Chairman Sherif Samy of the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority (EFSA) has stated that the financial sector will be revised before the end of the year in order to ease and fasten the transactions. Capital markets in Egypt suffered deeply from the revolution which began in 2011 forcing several foreign portfolio managers to withdraw their money […]
A top economic consultant and advisor of the Algerian government, Abdelhak Lamiri, has hinted that the government could be announcing economic reforms which could open the economy to foreign investors after the 2014 elections. In recent times, the government has taken several policies oriented towards liberalization. The current government is gearing up for an immense […]
Iraq’s Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari will be on a working visit to neighboring Turkey as both countries continue to reinforce their bilateral relations. Ahead of his arrival on Friday, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yıldız said that they are implementing projects worth billions of dollars in Iraq and willing to continue abiding by its rules. During […]