Vol 56 No 10 | MOROCCO Sufism’s soft power 15th May 2015 The monarch uses the country’s long Sufi tradition to help its foreign policy and neutralise its enemies The effort by King Mohammed VI to extend Moroccan influence in West Africa depends in part on the country's historic Sufi ties with turuq (brotherhoods or orders) across the region...
Vol 56 No 10 | ALGERIA Road to oblivion 15th May 2015 A spate of trials linked to the East-West Highway, reputedly the world's most expensive road thanks to bribery and contract inflation, sent 16 public officials and intermediaries t...
Vol 56 No 7 | EGYPTETHIOPIA Grand union on show 3rd April 2015 The new tripartite accord over the US$4.8 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam may not provide the resolution to arguments over the use of the Nile waters that the solemn ceremo...
Vol 56 No 6 | EGYPT Sinai militants rebrand 20th March 2015 The army is claiming major success against Islamists in the peninsula but the newest affiliate of IS may be doing better than Cairo claims Sinai's leading jihadist organisation, Ansar Beit el Makdis, publicly declared its affiliation to the 'Islamic State' (IS/Da'ish) and its 'Caliph' Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, last Novemb...
Vol 56 No 6 | MOROCCO Concern for King and court 13th March 2015 Plunging oil prices and rapprochement with France make for good news, but there are stirrings behind the headlines After a period of personal trauma following the death in December of his friend and right-hand man, Minister of State Abdellah Baha, Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane's face is br...
Vol 56 No 5 | LIBYA More war, more talks 6th March 2015 The impact of jihadists claiming allegiance to IS has increased and General Haftar seems set on a military solution The escalation of violence by 'Islamic State' in Libya over the past month has contributed fresh horror to an already bloody conflict. However, the prospect of IS succeeding in est... READ FOR FREE
Vol 56 No 5 | TUNISIA Complicated confiscation 6th March 2015 Some of the assets of people most involved in Ben Ali’s business-based patronage are proving hard to reach New Finance Minister, Slim Chaker, has been warned against confiscating assets from members of the inner circle of ex-President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali's regime, Africa Confidentia...
Vol 56 No 3 | TUNISIA Doubts over banks sell-off 6th February 2015 Privatisation looms for the state’s big stake in banking but the public could end up paying the debts of ex-President Ben Ali’s cronies
Vol 56 No 3 | TUNISIABRITAIN London's security aid 6th February 2015 Designed to coordinate government efforts against Islamist militants, a new Central Strategic Planning Unit in Tunisia's Interior Ministry is receiving training funded by the Briti...
Vol 56 No 2 | MOROCCOWESTERN SAHARABRITAIN You say Morocco 23rd January 2015 The British personal injury and negligence law firm Leigh Day is preparing judicial review proceedings against Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) over claims that Morocco is ...