Africa Columns Headlines International Maghreb Mauritania Opinions

Sahara: Madrid & Nouakchott Deal Hard Blow to Polisario-Algeria Separatist Thesis

The “serious and credible” autonomy plan offered by Morocco for the resolution of the Sahara regional conflict is gaining a growing international acclaim, while the Algeria-backed Polisario separatist group continues to suffer more diplomatic setbacks as separatism is crumbling giving way to global cooperation and regional integration. The secessionists and their Algerian supporters were deeply […]

Asia Columns Headlines International Morocco Opinions

KSA, UAE should have listened to Morocco on Yemen

The fallout of the war in Yemen and the humanitarian crisis the war-torn country is facing vindicate the Moroccan position to backdown from supporting militarily the Saudi-led military intervention in favor of seeking political solutions. When Morocco expressed its voice against the continuation of strikes on the conflict-stricken country while advocating an approach that focuses […]

Algeria Columns Headlines Maghreb Morocco Opinions

Cracks widen in Polisario’s edifice as militiamen defect to Morocco

The Polisario separatist militias are more frail than ever with the increase in defections within their ranks and the weakening of their paymaster Algeria, which has been grappled with pro-democracy protests for months. A new nail adds to the Polisario’s coffin with the return to Morocco of Salamu Bellal and Mohamed Hamdi Bouchelka both officers […]

Africa Algeria Columns Headlines International Maghreb Morocco Opinions

Sahel Security between Morocco’s action and Algeria’s indifference

The participation of Morocco at a high-level security summit of West African countries where the kingdom shared its vision of joint action to combat terrorism and other security threats stands in stark contrast with Algeria’s indifference to Sahel issues. Even before being grappled with pro-democracy protests, the Algerian regime has shown little if no support […]

Columns Headlines Maghreb Opinions Tunisia

Tunisia’s second free presidential election tests young democracy

Tunisia holds its second free presidential elections since the Arab Spring revolt that ousted a long-serving president, putting the country on a rocky road to democratic consolidation in an unstable regional context where spillovers of infighting in Libya and Algeria’s latent terrorist groups have taken a toll on the Tunisian economy. Tunisians cast ballots on […]

Algeria Americas Columns Headlines International Maghreb Morocco Opinions

Morocco breaths sigh of relief after Bolton’s sacking

The dismissal of US national security adviser John Bolton by President Donald Trump was received as a good news for Morocco and a blow for the Polisario separatists and their mentor Algeria who nurtured a false hope to see the US adopt an anti-Moroccan stand on the Sahara issue. Bolton has on multiple times showed […]

Columns Headlines Maghreb Morocco Opinions

Personal freedoms pit rights activists against Islamists

A debate has been triggered in the Moroccan civil society over the need to amend laws incriminating consensual sex between adults after a journalist has been arrested on charges of premarital sex and abortion. The arrest of Hajar Raissouni angered human rights activists at the national and international level who demanded her immediate release in […]

Columns Headlines Maghreb Morocco Opinions

Moroccan Human Rights Council calls for protecting personal freedoms

The Moroccan Human Rights Council reacted to the arrest of a Moroccan journalist on charges of abortion and sex out-of-wedlock saying that the national laws should be amended to be compatible with the constitution. The arrest of Hajar Raissouni and her Sudanese fiancé as well as three other people for their alleged involvement in an […]

Algeria Columns Headlines Maghreb Opinions

Algeria should brace for end of oil

As pro-democracy protests continue to rattle the Algerian regime, Algeria marches ahead to an economic disaster as domestic energy consumptions nears levels of gas and oil production. Since 2007, Algeria’s consumption of oil and natural gas has risen by more than 50 percent while its oil production has fallen by 25 percent. With less oil […]

Business Columns Headlines Maghreb Morocco Opinions

On Morocco’s increasing role in global food security

There is no exaggeration in saying that Morocco will play an increasingly important role in the world’s food security as the country sits on the globe’s largest phosphates deposits, key to the fertilizers’ industry. Modern agriculture has become more than ever dependent on phosphorus derived from phosphate rock, a non-renewable resource. Morocco as the country […]