First Independent Mena Newspaper
The uprising in Syria has led the European Union (EU) to employ an instrument it rarely uses in the Mediterranean: sanctions. Since May 2011, the EU has deployed its sanctions toolbox in support of the anti-regime uprising in Syria. The objective of the EU is to increase pressure on the Assad regime to end repression, […]
In a tragic yet entirely unexpected way, it is immediately post a dramatic event in the Maghreb- the unfortunate assassination of U.S. ambassador in Libya- that Morocco and the United States have renewed vows on their long standing shared journey by signing a Strategic Pact in Washington two weeks ago. While many observers view this […]
To comprehend the current role and position of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, rather than focusing only on its present-day form and the general policies of this movement, we must take a closer look at the historical evolution of this organization. One will then realize that the Muslim Brotherhood is not an entity that could […]
The relations between the EU and Gaddafi-ruled Libya saw two important turning points over the last decade before the dictator’s regime collapsed. Relations between the EU and Libya quickly developed after many years of international isolation following Gaddafi’s pledge in 2004 to abandon Libya’s WMD program. This development was completely reversed in February 2011 when […]
Algeria is said to have been spared the turmoil of the Arab Spring and the legislative elections held last May gave, contrary to analysts’ forecasts, an overwhelming majority to the ruling National Liberation Front (FLN). The long awaited change was not at the rendez-vous, still, Algerians were hoping that the new cabinet that was to […]
When Mohamed Morsi won the presidential elections in Egypt, a conflict between the president and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) was only a question of time. Morsi’s move to call the Parliament back into session was nothing less than the opening salvo in this conflict and a strong reminder by the President […]
The countries of the Maghreb set up in February 1989 a union that was designed to be a milestone in promoting inter-Maghreban relations on the political, economic, cultural and social scales. More than twenty years after the Arab Maghreb Union, also known by its French acronym as UMA, came into being, little has been achieved […]
When fruit seller Mohammed Bouazizi set himself on fire in December 2010 and started the first of the series of “Arab Spring” revolutions, it was not just the decade-long dictatorship that he was protesting against but also the poor state of the Tunisian economy that had been for long unable to provide its people with […]
Morocco, Jordan and Tunisia will soon benefit from investments coming from Europe’s Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) as their economies continue to struggle. The bank is looking forward to an investment that could swell up to 200 million Euros. The investment in these three countries will be followed by several similar projects in the […]
In 2010, Egypt ranked among the 20 top tourism countries in the world with a honourable 18th place. A year later, the Arab spring swept over Egypt, scaring away the 14 million international tourists who visits the country yearly. In 2011, the revolution that toppled President Hosni Moubarak dealt a serious blow to the tourism […]