Over the past thirty years, the inhabitants of Moroccan Oriental province have enjoyed unlimited cross-border ‘trade’ in petrol with neighboring Algeria. All-purpose petrol smuggling has been thriving even though the border has been officially closed since 1994 due to the murder of two Spanish tourists, who were allegedly killed by Algerian extremists. The border crossing […]
Headlines
Egypt mends diplomatic ties with Tunisia
Egypt has decided to send its ambassador back to Tunis after recalling him due to comments made by President Moncef Al Marzouqi. Cairo alleged that Presdient Moncef’s speech at this year’s United Nations General Assembly calling for the release of Mohammed Morsi from custody was interfered with their internal sovereign affairs. The announced return of […]
Algeria’s Ailing Long-Time President Bouteflika to Run for 4th Term
Algeria’s 76-year-old President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has been nominated by his ruling National Liberation Party (FLN) to run for a fourth term in April 2014. The ailing leader, who was hospitalized in France last April after suffering what official reports described as a stroke, has been in power since 1999. He presided over a cabinet meeting […]
Algeria: reinforcing aerial defense
Algeria has set its eyes on the Adcom Systems Yabhon United 40 Block 5 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) at the ongoing Dubai Air Show 2013. Algiers wants to boost its medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capacity. The Yabhon United 40 Block 5 is considered to be likely included in its fleet very […]
Morocco’s Contest over Price and Size of Bread
Morocco’s bakers have decided to halt the planned increase in bread prices following the pending talks with government. The Moroccan Federation of Bakers and Patissiers (FBPM) agreed that for now the prices of 10-30 centimeter loaves of bread are going to stay the same. The envisaged price increase should have concerned about 15,000 bakeries. According […]
Egypt the Least Gender-Friendly Country in the MENA Region
According to the “gender” survey of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the position of women has deteriorated throughout the region of North Africa and Middle East since the onset of the Arab Spring. Out of 22 survey countries, three – Egypt, Yemen and Syria – found themselves at the bottom of the ranking despite being involved […]
Libya and UN agency agree on Tourism cooperation
Libya tourism sector has received a major boost after the conclusion of an agreement between the government and United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Tripoli wants to diversify its economy that is heavily dependent on oil. The promotion of tourism in the country is also expected to help it surpass its turbulences and reduce unemployment […]
Egypt: IMF ready to give loan
Despite the threatened stability in Egypt, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is willing to provide loans if it is deemed necessary by authorities in Cairo. Egypt is going through political, economic and financial crisis as political differencescontinues to be the center stage. IMF’s regional director, Massod Ahmed, said they are “keen to support” the North […]
Tunisia: Court cancels parliamentary election commission list
Tunisia’s administrative court has delayed once again the country’s political transition after it rejected a list of 36 candidates proposed by the parliamentary commission. The candidates were to occupy different posts in the Higher Independent Elections Commission (ISIE) which shall organize elections as part of agreements between the ruling Ennahda and the opposition parties. The […]
Morocco to Tackle High Unemployment
Morocco’s 2014 Finance Act is seeking to tackle the issue of prevalent high unemployment while still faced with unfavorable global economic conditions. Although about 140,000 new positions have been created in recent months, the unemployment rate in the country hovers around 8 percent, while the rate reaches almost 18 percent among graduates and about 20 […]









