First Independent Mena Newspaper
Mauritania has set it conditions and role in UN’s Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz told a gathering in his “meet the public” tour that “we have set our conditions” and our participation will depend on their acceptance. Mauritania wants to limit its activities along its border with Mali. […]
Prime Minister Zeidan has gone to Algeria for a brief visit to discuss “issues of mutual interest” with his counterparts. The rising security threats and smuggling was high on the agenda during their meetings. Both sides have agreed on taking common steps to curb it through their Joint Commission. Algeria’s Prime Minister, Abdelmalek Sellal has […]
Many North African and Middle Eastern countries are in a state of great uncertainty. The struggles and revolutions of the Arab Spring struck down many oppressive governments, but violence has spread beyond North Africa and given way to insecurity in many states that were beyond the epicentre of the events – and these conflicts are […]
Official negotiations are underway today between the Malian state and the Touareg rebellion of the “National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA)”. The negotiations are to be held under the auspices of Burkina Faso with the main objective of resolving the case of the city of Kidal, which has been under the control of […]
Many security pundits have repeatedly warned that the political unrest, the eroding security situation and the flourishing weapons, human and drug trafficking in the Sahel/Sahara region have made of the area a terrorism breeding ground, an exploding powder keg, or what some have called ‘an arc of instability.’ The warning has just been echoed in […]
North and West Africa are facing a complex set of challenges in terms of democratic transition and consolidation, a growing prominence of Islamist influence, and potential knock-on effects of recent socio-political transformations. Adding to this complexity is Africa’s raising geopolitical importance that is evident in the growing interest of other extra-territorial powers, such as China, […]
Mauritania and its northern neighbor, Morocco, have inked several cooperation agreements meant to give a new momentum to their partnership in various sectors of common interest. The two countries, members of Arab Maghreb Union gathering also Algeria, Tunisia and Libya, have agreed to bolster joint actions and projects in the fields of transport, energy & […]
The situation in Mali, the fight against terrorism and the strengthening of trans-border security are on top of the agenda of the 5+5 Dialogue meeting convening in Nouakchott Tuesday. The Foreign Ministers of the countries forming this informal sub-regional body that brings together 5 Western Mediterranean countries (France, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain) and their North […]
As the Dubai temperature was rising, the impatience of art enthusiasts could not be restrained. Festivities finally started on Tuesday March 19, with the Jumerah Patrons’ Preview. Art Dubai was launched. A champagne glass in hand, clichés were forgotten… The time of an exhibition. In partnership with Abraaj Group, the seventh edition of Art Dubai […]
Algerian Islamist extremist Djamel Okacha has become the new commander of operations of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in Northern Mali, replacing Abu Zeid who was killed in a French-led military campaign in the impoverished African country. The confirmed death of Abu Zeid, who raised millions of dollars from kidnapping of Western hostages, […]