Vol 53 No 25 | EGYPT Tax threat to IMF deal 14th December 2012 The uproar caused by President Mohamed Mursi’s declaration of full powers on 22 November threatens Egypt’s efforts to mobilise funds from the International Monetary Fund and other donors...
Vol 53 No 25 | TUNISIA Wilting jasmine 14th December 2012 Two years after Ben Ali’s fall, the lack of social and economic progress is fuelling disenchantment with the government Many of the post-revolution politicians are gaining a reputation for fiddling while parts of Tunisia burn. Riots in late November and early December in Siliana saw over 250...
Vol 53 No 25 | LIBYA Unity under strain 14th December 2012 As the forces pulling Libya apart strengthen, the government makes strategic blunders and cannot make progress on the constitution Having departed from the overly ambitious roadmap set out in 2011’s Constitutional Declaration, Libya’s elected representatives cannot decide on a replacement and are mired in indecision. The consequence...
Vol 53 No 24 | EGYPTSUDAN Egyptians return in search of gold 30th November 2012 Last August, Egyptian billionaire Naguib Onsi Sawiris, 58, bought La Mancha Resources, owner of 40% of Sudan’s Ariab Mining Company. Naguib is a Coptic Christian and telecommunications captain...
Vol 53 No 23 | ALGERIA No spring in the step 16th November 2012 Popular discontent remains widespread but unfocused. The looming presidential succession may sharpen choices and increase tension Many Algerians feel that 50 years of independence have left them with little worth celebrating. Yet while dozens of protests about housing, job shortages and other grievances take...
Vol 6 (AAC) No 1 | ALGERIACHINABRIEFING Alger, la Chinoise 30th October 2012 Chinese companies are displacing European powers in African countries where ties were considered to be strongest, and China is set to become Algeria’s largest trading partner ahead...
Vol 53 No 21 | MAURITANIA Aziz’s power game 19th October 2012 President Abdel Aziz uses the threat of jihadist forces as a way of fending off pressure to hold elections and make concessions to opposition parties President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz is navigating a delicate course across the region’s geopolitical minefield. Mauritania is not a member of the Economic Community of West African States...
Vol 53 No 21 | MAURITANIA Handling the opposition 19th October 2012 Despite official promises of elections, President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz’s government has shown no serious signs of holding any. The opposition is not united and does not present...
Vol 53 No 21 | EGYPTINTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND IMF finance for Mursi's new order 19th October 2012 The planned US$4.8 billion International Monetary Fund loan for Egypt could be concluded within the next two month. And other foreign financing is on its way, say...
Vol 53 No 21 | TUNISIA Ghannouchi unplugged 19th October 2012 Liberal mistrust of Islamist leader Rachid Ghannouchi is mounting after his unguarded remarks about collaboration with hard-line Salafist groups were secretly videoed and distributed on the internet.