First Independent Mena Newspaper
“Algeria continues to face important challenges posed by lower oil prices (…) and growth in the nonhydrocarbon sector slowed under the effects of spending cuts”, says the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Inflation increased from 4.8 pc in 2015 to 6.4 pc in 2016 and stood at 8.1 pc year-on-year in January 2017. As to unemployment, […]
In a pessimistic tone that bodes ill for Algeria’s economic prospects, Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal announced yet a new slump in the country’s foreign exchange reserves, which currently stand at $112 billion. As Algeria’s revenues continue to be battered by the slump in oil prices, Sellal, who was speaking in Annaba at a meeting […]
The International Monetary Fund has postponed the second tranche of a loan worth $350 million to Tunisia because of a lack of progress in reforms covering public sector wage bill, the public finances and state banks. The IMF urged the acceleration of reforms for Tunisia to be eligible to receive the second and third tranches […]
Director of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde lauded Morocco for the efforts it undertook to restructure its economy. In an interview with weekly magazine, Jeune Afrique, Lagarde said Morocco is leading successful restructuring of its economy without depending on oil or agricultural commodities. She recalled that the credibility of Morocco’s reform earned it an […]
Algeria which has suffered a sharp decrease in oil revenues is seeking desperately to fill in its coffers with an Italian supply deal. The country’s state-owned Sonatrach and Italy’s energy company, Eni, inked a deal to supply Italy with 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually. The gas will be channeled through the Transmed […]
The drop in oil prices has taken a heavy toll on Algeria’s budget revenues with the trade deficit expanding to 15.8 billion dollars as of October compared to 13.7 billion dollars the same period last year. By the end of October, Algeria’s export revenues slipped by 23.44% standing at 22.7 billion dollars propelling the government […]
Morocco’s external debt reached 312.9 billion dirhams by June 2016 up from 301 billion dirhams by the end of 2015, Economy and Finance Ministry said in its latest statistics. Public institutions took 52.9% of Morocco’s total external debt, followed by the treasury with 46.8%, while banks and local collectivities accounted for the remaining 0.3% of […]
State-owned banks in Algeria will soon be allowed to list in the stock exchange as Algiers continues to stumble in the aftermath of the plummeting oil prices. The privatization of the state-owned banks is an attempt by the Algerian government to promote its underdeveloped banking sector and diversify sources of revenue after the drop in […]
Algeria’s trade deficit slipped into 14 billion dollars in the first 8 months of 2016 because of the fall in oil revenues, propelling the government to draft an austere appropriation bill for 2017 with the introduction of new taxes in a bid to minimize losses. Algeria’s trade deficit worsened despite an 11% decline in imports […]
The tourism industry in many North African countries was affected this year by the terror threats as travelers avoid popular destinations such as Egypt, Tunisia, Turkey…targeted by terrorists. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, Egypt is one of the worst hit places, with tourist arrivals down nearly 50 pc so far this year. […]