First Independent Mena Newspaper
Moroccan King Mohammed VI wrapped his eight-day tour of the Gulf Arab countries that took the sovereign to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Jordan. Overall, it is a combination of economic interests and broader geo-political considerations that accounts for much of the Moroccan diplomatic offensive. In the economic sphere, the Moroccan […]
The private equity sector in Morocco and Tunisia has received a $ 26.1 million grant from the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development (EBRD) to support the development of the private equity market in two North African countries, rocked by the Arab Spring. The financial assistance will also serve to rev up equity funding for […]
After its crucial role in the uprisings in the Arab world, internet and facebook occupy a growing ground in MENA region. Tunisia’s Jasmine revolution, which forced President Ben Ali to step down, proved that internet and facebook were the fastest way to communicate and spread news (videos, photos, tweetts articles and even political comments.) A […]
Despite the fact that the Maghreb countries constitute one region that is culturally, geographically and historically integrated, they have largely failed to achieve ‘functional integration’ particularly at the political and economic cooperation level. The “non-Maghreb” is a term coined by some experts referring to the enduring phenomenon of the Maghreb countries’ failure to boost their […]
Tunisia will get EUR 4 million in the framework of the Micromed Program, an initiative launched by the European Investment Bank (EIB) to help promote the microfinance sector in Mediterranean partner countries. The MicroMED Tunisia program was established in response to a call for assistance from the Tunisian Administration in its endeavor to develop the […]
Morocco, which is already a regional leader in microcredit, is poised to develop its strategy in the sector, the aim being to increase the number of beneficiaries to 3.2 million people and to create some 2 million part time jobs by 2020. The announcement was made last week on the sidelines of the international conference […]
The creation of a new post of EU Special Representative for the Southern Mediterranean Region in July 2011 symbolizes the importance the region has gained in European eyes. Focusing specifically on the Maghreb, there are a number of reasons why it is vital for the Union to engage closely with this region located on its […]
The newest version of Microsoft Operating system Windows 8, which has generated a lot of buzz in the IT industry, offers to the Berber-speaking populations across North Africa (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Libya) the possibility of using their personnel computers in their native spoken language. A preview of Windows 8, to be officially launched in […]
Several international experts, intellectuals and human rights activists are wondering whether the idea of setting up a task force to fight the upsurge of illegal immigration will ever work?. The proposed task force, to include delegates or agents from North Africa (Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania & Tunisia) and their European partners (France, Italy, Malta, Portugal […]
A nationwide awareness campaign to the danger of plastic bags on the environment and the need to use other alternatives was launched this week, under the motto “Morocco without plastic bags.” The campaign, sponsored by a local association, “Mawarid”, seeks to foster public awareness as to of the danger posed by non-biodegradable plastic bags to […]