First Independent Mena Newspaper
The sovereign debt crisis is often being called the mother of all problems, especially those with no-win solutions (or double-win of any sort for that matter). The consequences of the European sovereign debt crisis, touched off by Europe’s weakest economies in 2011, have been piecemeal yet deep and noticeable far beyond the EU’s borders. As […]
In the context of the Arab Spring, the use of the term “Islamism” is very common. The new political elites throughout the North Africa, commonly referred to as the “Islamists”, often talk of replacing the old and more or less authoritarian secular regimes in the Middle East. Journalists also use the term quite excessively and […]
Egypt’s Central Bank proclaimed their foreign reserves reaching the “critical” levels after it had sold about 75 million USD in its first private auction to banks, Bloomberg reports. Egypt’s foreign reserves are well below the levels prior to 2011 uprising against former President Mubarak, when the Central Bank commenced to support the Egyptian pound by […]
The upshots of the global financial crisis are long to list. In a catchy word, they are condensed in the phrase “shift to the East”. Driven by the increasing power and strength of emerging market economies, the timing and extent of the shift raise questions over what real objectives the new players are set to […]
In a brief conversation with a taxi driver who was taking me from Cartage international airport to down town Medina, I noticed glimpses of optimism in his speech. He said he was glad about the changes that took place in what he sometimes called “Modern Tunisia,” and some other times “post-revolutionary Tunisia.” “We have lived […]
It is common today to associate Salafism with radicalism, nihilist violence and failed states. In fact, Salafism is a heterogeneous religious and political tendency. Salafis agree on the glorification of the early Muslim community, its religious texts, its supposed unity, its energy and moral conduct. However, they differ considerably on the way to revive this […]
The adage ‘a chain is as strong as its weakest link’ is well applied to the need for harmonised maritime standards across a region as diverse as the Mediterranean. As one of the world’s major shipping areas, the Mediterranean Sea comprises some 450 ports and terminals, handling more than 300,000 port calls per annum. Progress […]
In February 2012, the European Parliament approved proposals to reduce restrictions on agricultural and fisheries exports from Morocco into the EU, and to allow Morocco to participate in EU single market programs (on competitiveness and innovation, customs, transport). A few days later, on 1 March 2012, a free trade area (FTA) in industrial goods was […]
Presidential debates in America have been hijacked, creating the “charades devoid of substance, spontaneity and answers to tough questions.” The October 3 debate leaves citizens to rail against the lobbyist-led, anti-democratic control of the process. Three sponsors even dropped out before the opening remarks. US Pres. Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney “hoodwinked the […]
Revolutions are a risky business, not least for the revolutionaries themselves. Be they in 18th century France or in 21st century Tunisia, revolutions are sparked by ideals but they are only kept alive and fueled by promises, promises to deliver. In the early stages, ideals can be seized upon, turned into popular placards by the […]