Vol 54 No 11 | EGYPT Brotherly love 24th May 2013 Amidst economic woes, the MB increases its presence in cabinet The second cabinet reshuffle since President Mohamed Mursi appointed Hisham Kandil Prime Minister last August further bolsters the position of the Muslim Brotherhood at the core of government....
Vol 54 No 9 | EGYPT Patience snaps over IMF 26th April 2013 Two senior Finance Ministry officials resign over the government’s continuing refusal to grasp the nettle of an IMF package Talks with the International Monetary Fund and other financiers over a US$15 billion package of assistance and structural reform continue but the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated government keeps erecting obstacles....
Vol 54 No 7 | EGYPT No cash to count on 29th March 2013 The failure of successive governments to get a grip on economic policy has left Egypt’s finances in a perilous state In November, President Mohamed Mursi decided to give priority to consolidating his power base. The economic consequences are now becoming starkly apparent. Foreign exchange reserves excluding gold are...
Vol 54 No 5 | TUNISIA Splits prolong crisis 1st March 2013 Long before opposition leader Chokri Belaïd was assassinated, the political crisis was in full flow. No end is in sight An already serious political crisis was exacerbated when gunmen killed Chokri Belaïd on 6 February and Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali, from the ruling Hizb Ennahda (Renaissance Party), resigned...
Vol 54 No 4 | TUNISIA Answers needed 15th February 2013 When opposition leader Chokri Belaïd was shot dead by three masked men in a black car on 6 February, the secular opposition, the mainstream Islamist Hizb Ennahda and...
Vol 6 (AAC) No 4 | MAURITANIACHINA Victory for local fishermen 11th February 2013 A US$100 million investment in Mauritania is in the balance after the Nouakchott authorities suspended a contract with a Chinese fishery. Officials from the Ministry of Fishing and...
Vol 54 No 2 | MAURITANIA Nouakchott on the spot 18th January 2013 Under pressure from both the jihadists and France, President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz is fast losing all semblance of neutrality. For now, his position seems secure but the...
Vol 54 No 2 | LIBYA Not so open for business 18th January 2013 The government is drifting and so is business, which is deterring investment Although the Libyan economy is returning to life – with the oil sector in the lead – planning is not. Despite the pressing need to rebuild, little is...
Vol 54 No 2 | LIBYA Thawing the assets 18th January 2013 According to a leaked management report from September 2010, some 75% of the Libyan Investment Authority’s assets were in Europe, 14% in North America and the remaining 11%...
Vol 54 No 1 | EGYPT Navigating the rapids 10th January 2013 Egypt is set for another turbulent year as the political conflicts following the 2011 revolution play out and the economy struggles to recover Elections for the lower house of parliament, the Maglis el Nuwab, are scheduled during the next two months but could be delayed if disputes over the constitution persist....