First Independent Mena Newspaper
Tunisia has officially been admitted as the 20th member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). Tunisia applied for the membership of the grouping in 2016 after being an observer member since 2005. According to the Tunisian foreign ministry, this membership will give Tunisian exports access to the markets of 21 countries […]
Respect for territorial integrity of member states is a sine qua non for achieving the long-sought integration of the Maghreb Union (AMU), Morocco’s Lower House Speaker Habib El Malki told AMU’s Secretary General Taieb Baccouche. During a meeting in Rabat, the two officials highlighted the wasted potential of the Maghreb as it continues to be […]
The recent Tunisian request to Algeria and Morocco for energy supply during the summer could usher a new era of cooperation between the countries of Africa’s least integrated region. The Tunisian electricity and gas utility (STEG) has called on the two Maghreb countries to help supply it with 300 megawatts during the peak summer season. […]
Terrorism has struck Tunisia again after an attack took the lives of six Tunisian soldiers on the border with Algeria. The Interior ministry said the soldiers were ambushed through the use of a mine while patrolling in the Jendouba province near Tunisia’s border with Algeria. The terrorists “opened fire” after the mine exploded, killing six […]
The EU has been thinking of outsourcing the management of migration and asylum to North African countries where most migrants are taking the perilous sea route to Europe. The idea of setting up migrant processing centers is winning support in the EU but has been met with utter rejection by Morocco, Algeria and tunisia. “Morocco […]
The European Commission Friday (July 6) approved three new migration-related programs in Morocco, Tunisia and Libya totaling €90.5 million. The new programs, under the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, will provide support to authorities of partner countries, including Morocco, to improve their ability to manage better their borders and, at the same time, will […]
Algeria’s Sports Minister said his country is interested in presenting a joint bid together with Morocco and Tunisia to host the 2030 World Cup. He told Algerian media that such a bid is on the radar without giving further details. Similar statements have been made by the head of Algeria’s football association as Argentina, Uruguay […]
The Tunisian Parliament is investigating claims that sacked Interior Minister Lotfi Brahem, in connivance with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), had plotted a coup against the Islamic Ennahdha Party, winner of the latest local elections, and for toppling the Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi and Prime Minister Youssef Chahed. Prime Minister Youssef Chahed stunned the […]
Tunisia’s Prime Minister Youssef Chahed on Wednesday fired his interior minister following the death of migrants off the coast of the North African country in the deadliest shipwreck this year. The move follows a similar decision affecting 10 senior security officials as the country investigates the tragic death at sea of migrants on board the […]
The Tunisian foreign minister Monday summoned Italy’s ambassador to protest the newly appointed interior minister’s claims that the North African country is exporting criminals and ex-prisoners to Italy in the wake of the death of 48 illegal migrants off Tunisian coasts. After summoning the Italian ambassador, the ministry also released a statement indicating that it […]