First Independent Mena Newspaper
The US elections and the monotonous presidential debates bear little to no substance on North Africa. In the much-anticipated third debate on foreign policy, there was scant mention of the countries of the Maghreb and their important strategic worth in US global fight against terrorism. Except for Libya (mentioned 12 times) in the context of […]
By 18 October 2012, a report that Salafis destroyed an 8,000-year-old petroglyph in Yakour Plain not far from Marrakesh quickly spread on Facebook and Twitter. The rock-drawing depicting the animistic divinity of the sun is one of thousands of stone carvings in the High Atlas and Anti-Atlas Mountains. Print and online newspapers repeated these rumors, […]
The air forces of the five Maghreb countries (Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania &Tunisia) and their European partners France, Spain, Italy, Malta and Portugal have staged lately a joint aerial military drill destined to counter terror threats. The joint regional exercise, code-named “Circaete 2012”, seeks to enhance the combat capabilities of the air forces to prevent […]
In February 2012, the European Parliament approved proposals to reduce restrictions on agricultural and fisheries exports from Morocco into the EU, and to allow Morocco to participate in EU single market programs (on competitiveness and innovation, customs, transport). A few days later, on 1 March 2012, a free trade area (FTA) in industrial goods was […]
Tunisia’s government has blocked the launch of a new airline company dubbed “Jasmin Airways” which was initially set to operate early 2013. The Tunisian ministry of transport did not grant the new airline operating rights, apparently fearing tough competition and seeking to protect flag carrier Tunisair (TU) suffering deep losses. “The creation of Jasmin Airways […]
Tunisia has approved the renewal for an additional three year period of the Sfax offshore exploration permit awarded to Eurogas International Inc. and its joint venture partner, Atlas Worldwide Exploration Ltd (“APEX”). Under this first renewal period that will extend from December 9, 2012 to December 8, 2015, the exploration corporation will have to drill […]
The EU has issued lately its revised import preference scheme – known as the Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP) – for developing countries most in need which will take effect from 1 January 2014. The new list of beneficiaries from GSP does not include North African countries: Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco & Tunisia. With […]
Interview with Sadi Shanaah, an influential Czech-Palestinian political analyst and director of INSAAN – ‘Czech-Arab Centre for Cultural Dialogue’, about the roots of the Egyptian revolution, potential failure of Western media and U.S. support to the region. Mr. Shanaah, a special advisor for the Middle East to Mitt Romney‘s presidential campaign, Walid Pharees, says that […]
In May 2012, leaders of the G8 countries met in France in order to discuss an eventual support of the ongoing revolutionary processes of the Arab Spring. Although a number of countries have already helped financially or otherwise, the current amounts of aid implicitly suggest that another Marshall Plan in not going to take place. […]
The tourism sector in Tunisia which was unstable since the Yasmine revolution has recorded a good performance during the first nine months of 2012 and according to the latest figures released by the Ministry of Tourism, some 4.4 million tourists visited the country from January 1 to September 20, posting a 32 percent increase compared […]