Headlines Mauritania

Tough Times for Slavery Abolitionists in Mauritania

Mauritanian authorities arrested last Sunday scores of anti-slavery activists on the backdrop of riots and clashes last week with security forces in Nouakchott. The riots started when security forces stormed slump dwellings occupied for decades by the Haratin ethnic group, many of them former slaves. The authorities accused the members of the Initiative for the […]

Headlines Morocco

Morocco’s Autonomy Proposal for Sahara, Best Acceptable Compromise, MEPs

Members of the European Parliament have underscored the soundness of the Morocco-proposed initiative to grant large autonomy to the Sahara under the Kingdom’s sovereignty, deeming this initiative as the ”best acceptable compromise” for settling the conflict. Their remarks came in a letter they addressed to the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs […]

Africa Business Energy

Mauritania, Senegal Agree on Mutual Exploitation of Gas Field

Nouakchott and Dakar have come to an agreement to work jointly and share returns of gas production off their coasts by the American energy company, Kosmos, reports say. Presidents of both countries have reportedly given instructions to their respective energy companies; Petrosen in Senegal and Smhpm of Mauritania to continue working with the American giant […]

Headlines Mauritania

Mauritania’s President Challenges Washington to Produce Alleged Secret Agreement with al Qaeda

Mauritanian President has called on Washington to produce evidence of the alleged secret deal between Nouakchott and the al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) on a truce during which the terrorist group would cease abductions and militancy in Mauritania for a renewable one-year period, and in return, Mauritania would release all al Qaeda prisoners. The […]

Headlines Mauritania

Mauritania: Eight People Killed in Alms Distribution Event

At least eight elderly women died Wednesday in a stampede at a charity event in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott. “At least eight people were killed, all elderly women, and two dozen others were injured,” a medical source said. The dreadful incident reportedly occurred in the compound of a rich Muslim man where people were invited […]

Headlines Mauritania

Mauritania: Supreme Court Frees Jailed Anti-slavery Activists

The Mauritania Supreme Court Tuesday demanded the immediate release of anti-slavery activists arrested two years ago and sentenced to two years in prison, reports say. Biram ould Abeid and Brahim ould Bilal respectively President and deputy President of IRA Mauritanie, an NGO combatting slavery in the country, have been ordered free by the Supreme Court […]

Headlines Mauritania

Mauritania: Opposition Rejects President’s Proposal to Suppress Senate

The Mauritanian opposition Saturday took to the streets to contest the President’s constitutional change proposal that will allow suppression of the senate. “We are protesting today to tell Ould Abdel Aziz that the Constitution is the red line,” Saleh Ould Henenna, Secretary General of FNDU, an opposition front made of 10 parties, told thousands of […]

Headlines Portrait Profile

Maghreb: Taieb Bacchouche, New Chairman of Arab Maghreb Union

Tunisian former Foreign Minister became Thursday Secretary General of the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU.) The 72-year-old former diplomat was appointed by the AMU Foreign Ministers Council at the 33rd session held in Tunis. Bacchoube will replace country-man Habib Ben Yahia, outgoing Secretary General of the AMU. Bacchoube was Tunisia’s Foreign Minister from February 2015 to […]

Headlines Mauritania

Mauritania: President Wants Suppression of Senate

President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania Tuesday proposed the suppression of the Senate, which, he said, obstructs laws adoption. He called for a national referendum to decide over the move while giving three to four weeks to opposition parties to decide whether they will take part in the vote. “We are calling on the […]

Algeria Headlines

Algeria Listed among Authoritarian Regimes in 2015 Democracy Index Report

Does democracy itch the Algerian regime? The answers is yes according to 2015 Democracy Index report published by the Economist intelligent Unit which puts Algeria among authoritarian regimes around world, as it features at the 118th spot out 167 countries. Democracy in Algeria is one of the worst in the Middle East and North Africa […]