The United States has for years voiced support to the settlement of the Western Sahara in the context of the United Nations and when in 2007 Morocco proposed a plan providing to grant a large autonomy to the disputed territory, Washington has expressed in unequivocal terms backing to the Plan and subsequently to the Moroccan […]
Features
French Embassy Attack in Tripoli, Challenges Libya’s Security
The terrorist bombing that hit lately French embassy in Tripoli has tested the Libyan security apparatus and showed its vulnerability as the North African country is experiencing a turbulent and shaky transition after years of autocratic rule under Gadhafi regime. The attack comes as the new Libyan government is battling to disarm the militias which […]
Morocco & EU Kick Off FTA Talks
Morocco and the European Union have started in Brussels the first round of talks for a free trade agreement (FTA) that will enhance further economic integration and trade ties between the two partners. Trade between Morocco and EU is worth over € 26 billion and an FTA will raise this trade relationship to a new […]
Mali, Anti-terrorism Struggle Top Agenda of 5+5 Dialogue Meeting
The situation in Mali, the fight against terrorism and the strengthening of trans-border security are on top of the agenda of the 5+5 Dialogue meeting convening in Nouakchott Tuesday. The Foreign Ministers of the countries forming this informal sub-regional body that brings together 5 Western Mediterranean countries (France, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain) and their North […]
Algeria reinforces ties with Spain
Algeria and Spain have taking their bilateral relations and cooperation to another level after the signing ceremony of several industrial partnership agreements in various sectors. The ceremony was witnessed by ministers from both governments with Cherif Rahmani, Algeria’s minister of Industry, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Investment Promotion, and Spain’s Minister of Industry, Energy and […]
In Tunisia: Here They Go Again On Their Own
The January 14 ouster of Ben Ali’s regime in Tunisia set off a wave of popular uprisings in the Middle East, the most significant change in more than thirty years. The last time the Middle East saw such monumental shifts was in 1979, when the ouster of the Shah in Iran, the Soviet invasion of […]
Poverty, Inequality and Safety Nets in the MENA Region
By international standards, extreme poverty or destitution is relatively low in the countries of North Africa. According to the World Bank, the number of those living below 2 USD a day was 13.9 percent in 2008, which would make the region of Middle East and North Africa (MENA) the fourth poorest region in the world […]
Libyan Weaponry Fueling Regional Conflicts
A UN panel has sounded the alarm bell over the growing illicit flows of arms from Libya into West Africa and several Middle-eastern countries enhancing the arsenals of a range of non-state actors, including terrorist groups. “In the past 12 months, the proliferation of weapons from Libya has continued at a worrying rate and has […]
Egypt: Huawei and Etisalat conclude new deal
After signing a strategic partnership agreement in February, Huawei and Etisalat Misr have sealed a new contract that will provide the latter with the latest BTS3900 radio base station technology. The deal is meant to improve quality and speed to the Etisalat Misr’s radio network. The BTS3900 will help the Egyptian company to save expenditures […]
Tunisia recovers first “stolen” money
Tunisia has finally got some of the money that it refers to as “stolen” during the Ben Ali regime which lasted for 23 years. A sum of $28,8million which was recovered by the United Nations Stolen Asset Recovery team from a Lebanese bank account under the name of the former president’s wife, Leila Trabelsi. The […]









