First Independent Mena Newspaper
October 23rd marks the first anniversary of the election of Tunisia’s National Constituent Assembly; the first election since the popular insurrection that brought down the government of President Zine al-Abdine Ben Ali in January 2011and set off the powerful series of events elsewhere in the region that became known as the Arab Spring. The anniversary […]
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 […]
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 […]
Tunis Financial harbor was the topic of discussion between the Tunisian government and Bahrain’s investment bank Gulf Finance House. The latter wants to develop the harbors aiming to be North Africa’s first offshore financial centre. A high profile delegation from GFH led by acting CEO, Hisham Alrayes, and Lutfi Alzaar, the CEO of Tunis Financial […]
Malta played host this weekend to the Five-plus-Five summit, gathering five Maghreb and five European countries whose heads of state or government came together to discuss ways to foster inter-Mediterranean ties. The Five-plus-Five forum, which brings together leaders from Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia, the five countries forming the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA) along […]
Before the Soviet Union controlled the former republics of Central Asia, Sufi brotherhoods dominated the religious scene in Chechnya, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. However, the Soviet policy toward Islam drove these Sufi groups underground for fear of persecution. In the aftermath of the fall of the Soviet bloc, legions of radical Islamists filled the gap left […]
US House lawmakers have blocked a $450 million emergency aid the Obama administration was planning to give to the new government of President Mohammed Morsi, facing unprecedented economic crisis, with an estimated budget deficit of $12 billion. Republican Rep. Kay Granger of Texas, chairwoman of the Appropriations subcommittee on foreign operations, says “I am not […]