First Independent Mena Newspaper
As international tourism grew by 4.4 pc in 2015 to reach a record of 1.2 billion arrivals, the number of foreign tourists dropped by 8 pc in parts of North Africa due to terrorism threats, according to latest figures released by the World Tourism Organization (WTO). Egyptian resort Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt, where a Russian […]
The Mauritanian Government will next month organize a roundtable with its technical and financial partners in a bid to mobilize $117 million necessary to implement the national youth strategic program. The roundtable, scheduled for February 18, will gather Mauritania’s technical and financial partners who will discuss means of mobilizing $117 million necessary to implement the […]
Libya’s international partners have their eyes turned towards the Libyan House of Representatives which has to endorse the Government of National Accord (GNA) announced on Tuesday before the GNA can be implemented. Washington, UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), and EU welcomed the formation of the Libyan unity government and called on the internationally recognised […]
Morocco has vehemently condemned the terrorist attacks that targeted the capital city of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou, as a blow to peace and stability in this sisterly country and as a blow to the efforts being made to establish democracy. At least 30 people of some 20 nationalities have been killed in the attacks staged at […]
A Belgian of Moroccan origin who managed last November to slip police net after the terror Paris attacks that claimed 130 lives, was captured lately in Morocco. According to Moroccan authorities, the suspect was arrested in the Atlantic coast port city of Mohammadia, near Casablanca. Investigators said the man had sojourned in Syria where he […]
The recent remarks made by former French president Nicolas Sarkozy expressing his firm support to Morocco’s Sovereignty over Western Sahara have irked Algerian authorities. Although the Algerian government has not yet reacted officially, a top diplomat at Algerian Foreign Affairs ministry has termed Sarkozy’s statements as a provocation and upsetting. Speaking at an international conference […]
Egyptian President Fatah al-Sissi Sunday urged the United States to expand its cooperation with Egypt beyond security and counter-terrorism. At a meeting with CIA boss John Brennan, the Egyptian President called on Washington to diversify its ties with his country and expand cooperation to social, cultural and intellectual realms. Egypt and the U.S. have strong […]
The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Sunday condemned the delay by Serraj-led Presidential Council for another 48 hours of the announcement of the Government of National Accord (GNA) endorsed on December 17 in Morocco. The mission led by German veteran UN official Martin Kobler regrets failure by Libyan Prime Minister-designate Faiez Serraj to meet […]
The new Egyptian parliament has approved the controversial anti-terrorism law. The law provides for heavy fines on journalists who contradict the official version of any militant attack casualties, protects security personnel from being prosecuted and authorizes them to use force during disturbances and public disorder. The legislation also provides for the setting up of special […]
Switzerland has informed the Egyptian government that the funds deposited by President Mubarak and his two sons during his rule in Swiss banks would not be returned to the State unless Bern is certain that the funds were illegally obtained as alleged. The announcement was made by Swiss attorney-general Michael Lauber during a press conference […]