Columns Finance Headlines Morocco Opinions

Moroccan government, central bank at odds over inflation

Morocco’s central bank and the Moroccan government are pursuing policies that are triggering opposite impacts on inflation. As the central bank tightens its monetary policy by raising the key interest rate for the third time in a row to 3%, the government continues its expansive budgetary policy in line with its goals to spur private […]

Columns Opinions

Ties with Africa are a “priority” for Moscow, Putin says, in a bid to evade sanctions

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he gives a “priority” to relations with African countries, as Moscow was looking for new partners in the face of international sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “I want to emphasize that our country has always given and will continue to give priority to co-operation with African states,” Putin […]

Americas Community Editorials Headlines International Opinions

US State Department draws bleak picture of human rights in Algeria

The US State Department exposed the degradation of human rights of the military regime in Algiers which has deployed brutal tactics to silence dissent including pretrial detention, torture, cham terrorism charges and free speech muzzeling. The State Department’s annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, released this March, starts by questioning the atmosphere of elections […]

Americas Columns Headlines International Maghreb Morocco Opinions

US underscores Moroccan King’s leadership, reaffirms support for autonomy plan

The US state department highlighted the leadership of King Mohammed VI in promoting regional stability and peace and reaffirmed its position in support of the Morocco-proposed autonomy plan. Secretary of State Anthony Blenken “expressed his appreciation for King Mohammed VI’s leadership and longstanding contribution to promoting stability and regional peace, including his efforts to promote […]

Editorials Headlines Opinions Tunisia

Freedom House: Tunisia’s political rights & civil liberties declining under Pdt Kais Saied

The political rights and civil liberties in Tunisia are deteriorating due to the unilateral actions taken by President Kaïs Saïed, who had dismissed the prime minister, suspended the parliament in 2021 and continued to consolidate power by formally dissolving the parliament in March, said Freedom House. In its latest report “Freedom in the World 2023: […]

Business Columns Headlines Opinions

Algeria braces for another car industry fiasco

Algeria wants to develop a car industry but it wants it fast and without meeting the pre-requisite: a competitive industrial cluster or ecosystem of local part suppliers. In 2019, after his election, Algerian President Tebboune had criticized car industry professionals in his country accusing them of practicing “disguised imports” due to the very low sourcing […]

Algeria Columns Community Europe Headlines International Maghreb Opinions

Thousands march in Paris in support of Kabylie independence

They were at least 10,000 people who marched in Paris chanting slogans in support of Kabylie independence and condemning the military regime in Algeria for its crackdown on peaceful pro-independence activists. The march was organized by Kabyle independence movement, MAK, after its leader Ferhat Mhenni was handed the capital punishment along with 49 other leaders. […]

Columns Headlines Opinions Tunisia

Tunisia: EuroMed NGO decries deteriorating human rights situation

EuroMed Rights NGO has voiced deep concern over the escalating oppression in Kaïs Saïed’s Tunisia which has intensified its campaign of arrests, intimidation, denigration and targeted attacks against political opponents, journalists, trade unionists and civil society representatives. The vocal critics of the Tunisian regime are unfairly accused of conspiracy to undermine state security, corruption, or […]

Columns Headlines Opinions Tunisia

Tunisia hedges closer to default

Tunisia is mired in an economic and financial crisis worsened by the backpedalling to autocracy as president Kais Saied intensifies his crackdown on critics, while picking migrants as scapegoats. The one-man ruled country could be denied an IMF lifeline of 2 billion dollars as it shuns painful reforms, including cutting subsidies. Last week, Fitch rating […]

Africa Asia Columns Headlines International Morocco Opinions

Iran opens a front in a distance, warns an expert on Middle Eastern affairs

Expert on Middle Eastern affairs Ehud Yaari has warned against Iran’s scheme to lay its influence and flare up wars in distant areas, mainly in North Africa and the Sahel-Sahara region, noting that the Iranians may acquire new outposts that would increase their ability to blackmail and threaten, and of course allow new jumping off […]