Columns Features Opinions

Priorities Anyone? – Obama’s Egypt Problem Isn’t Going To Go Away

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 […]

Business Energy Features

Libya: Protesters defy government agreement

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. […]

Algeria Features Headlines Morocco

Algeria-Morocco: Nothing Works Anymore

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 […]

Egypt Features Headlines

Egypt: reforming the financial sector before 2014

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 […]

Algeria Features Headlines

Algeria: gearing up economic transformation

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 […]

Business Energy Features

Turkey and Iraq to discuss Kurd oil deals

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 […]

Features Headlines Tunisia

Tunisia: Southerners lash tourism anger on government

Tunisia’s southerners are complaining of being neglected by the government after the Arab Spring due to the state of the once vibrant tourism sector in the region. They blamed the lack of tourists in the area on the ever frequent cancelations of international and local flights. The government is accused of only interested in marketing […]

Features Headlines Libya

NATO agrees to help Libya

Libya will be receiving technical advice and training from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in response to a request made by its Prime Minister in May. NATO will be helping Libya to organize and establish a well-structured security team to replace its many militias which tend to have an ever growing influence and authority […]

Algeria Features Headlines

Algeria: biggest defense spender

According to a report published by the Strategic Defense Intelligence (SDI) market research group, Algeria continues to be leading other countries in the continent’s defense expenditures. Algeria has been known to be a big spender in the defense market and the trend is expected to continue as Terrorism gains attention in the North African region. […]