Vol 53 No 10 | EGYPT Israel and the energy crisis 11th May 2012 Cairo’s cancellation of gas exports to Israel owe more to commerical interests than ideological conviction The state-owned Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (Egas) had plenty of reasons to end the gas export deal with Israel’s East Mediterranean Gas (EMG) and the Cairo government...
Vol 53 No 10 | MOROCCO Keep smiling 11th May 2012 In tough economic times, Islamist Premier Benkirane charms his critics while Mohammed VI in the Palace tries to keep pace The economy is not growing fast enough to create the jobs needed, police continue to clash with protestors around the country and the Prime Minister’s coalition partners are...
Vol 53 No 8 | EGYPT Differences sharpen in presidential poll 13th April 2012 The battle lines and electoral calculations are becoming clearer The Muslim Brotherhood’s nomination of its deputy leader, Khairat el Shater, as presidential candidate on 5 April reflects the MB’s sharply deteriorating relations with the ruling generals. It...
Vol 53 No 8 | EGYPT The men who would be Rais 13th April 2012 Khairat el Shater: A successful businessman, El Shater spent twelve years in prison under President Hosni Mubarak. From his cell, he still took a leading role in the...
Vol 53 No 8 | LIBYANIGER Gadaffi Junior's gaffe 13th April 2012 In September 2011, Colonel Moammar el Gadaffi’s son Es Saadi el Gadaffi arrived in Agadez in the dead of night in a mysterious convoy of vehicles, surrounded by...
Vol 5 (AAC) No 6 | MOROCCO Saad-Eddine Al Othmani 28th March 2012 Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Morocco Morocco is rolling out the welcome mat to Asian investors. Foreign Affairs Minister Saad-Eddine Al Othmani hosted its first Morocco-Asia Business Forum in Rabat on 15-16 March.
Vol 53 No 6 | ALGERIAMOROCCO The neighbours start talking 16th March 2012 A new warmth in relations could mean the reopening of the common border but agreement on Western Sahara remains problematic Several high-level diplomatic meetings initiated by Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane in recent weeks have raised hopes that Algeria and Morocco might finally reopen their border, closed since 1994.
Vol 53 No 6 | TUNISIAMAGHREB Tunisia lobbies for the UMA 16th March 2012 There is growing talk that the moribund Union du Maghreb arabe will hold its first summit since 1994.
Vol 53 No 5 | EGYPT Unity on cash crisis 2nd March 2012 The IMF offers concessions to the Islamist-dominated parliament The Muslim Brotherhood-dominated Freedom and Justice Party, the largest in the new Parliament, is now on a neo-liberal economic course as it supports government proposals to borrow US$3.2...
Vol 5 (AAC) No 4 | EGYPT Mohammed Saad al Katatni 10th February 2012 People’s Assembly Speaker In a victory for the long-frustrated ambitions of the Muslim Brotherhood, the People’s Assembly has elected Mohammed Saad al Katatni, a stalwart of the MB’s political wing, as...