First Independent Mena Newspaper
In many ways, it appears as if Algeria is weathering the Arab Spring fairly well. Despite its sheer size, it has dodged the cycle of demonstrations and upheaval, even though the Arab Spring started right in the next door Tunisia. Its long-term president Abdelaziz Bouteflika has maintained a façade of democracy, though his tenure has […]
While more and more voices, including those of Congressmen and editorialists, are criticizing the Obama Administration’s stand on the crisis in Egypt and denouncing as incoherent its foreign policy, President Barack Obama announced that the United States is cancelling its biennial joint military exercise with Egypt, initially scheduled for September. “While we want to sustain […]
A few days after Chairman Rached Ghannouchi of Ennahda ruled out any possibility of succumbing to the pressure of the opposition, the party has announced through Fethi Ayadi, chairman of its supreme council that it will be making a U-turn for the establishment of “a government of national unity.” The opposition has not reacted to […]
Though the al-Qaeda has been decimated at its epicenter and its leader killed, its regional affiliates such as al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Boko Haram in Nigeria are still active, hatching terror plots and committing various criminal offenses, including smuggling, drug trafficking, robbery and kidnapping in the Maghreb, sub-Saharan Africa and other parts […]
After weeks of procrastination, hesitation and standoff between the Egyptian interim government and supporters of the Islamist president Mohammed Morsi, ousted by Gen. El Sissi, the security forces moved in to break up sit-ins and protest camps set up in Cairo by Muslim Brotherhood supporters demanding Morsi return to power. But the hardline move by […]
Mauritania has set it conditions and role in UN’s Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz told a gathering in his “meet the public” tour that “we have set our conditions” and our participation will depend on their acceptance. Mauritania wants to limit its activities along its border with Mali. […]
Authorities overseeing the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) are considering the conversion of their debts of more than $5 billion into bonds. The idea came as proposals and discussions with the Egyptian Central Bank to scrutinize it have resulted in a positive outcome. These debts are owed to foreign oil companies operating in the country. […]
Prime Minister Zeidan has gone to Algeria for a brief visit to discuss “issues of mutual interest” with his counterparts. The rising security threats and smuggling was high on the agenda during their meetings. Both sides have agreed on taking common steps to curb it through their Joint Commission. Algeria’s Prime Minister, Abdelmalek Sellal has […]
Egypt’s Minister of Finance, Dr. Ahmed Galal, has declared that the government will increase its spending or at least maintain it without increasing taxes or imposing new ones. He claimed the government has “multiple resources” to support its budget. Morsi’s government tried to reduce public spending as requirements for a loan from the International Monetary […]
Many North African and Middle Eastern countries are in a state of great uncertainty. The struggles and revolutions of the Arab Spring struck down many oppressive governments, but violence has spread beyond North Africa and given way to insecurity in many states that were beyond the epicentre of the events – and these conflicts are […]