Arezki Daoud
Bin Laden’s Death Likely to Heighten Tension in North Africa and Europe
Americans and all those who suffered from the hands of Al Qaeda are rejoicing of the news that Osama Bin Laden has been found and eliminated. Having been responsible for countless deaths all over the world, not too many will shed a tear for him. But his death is likely to usher in a new era of terror, either directly by Al Qaeda franchises around the world, or by Arab governments' operatives who will unleash terror to justify their crackdown of pro-democracy movements and a maintain of the control of power in the Arab world.
[North Africa] Marrakech Terror Attack Risks to Derail Political Progress in Morocco and Could Slow Rapprochement with Algeria
[By Arezki Daoud | daoud@north-africa.com | 508-981-6937 | Twitter: @northafrica] It’s test time for King Mohamed VI. Moving forward with political reforms may have awakened nasty demons, and yet scaling them back could lead the country into violent turmoil. The terror attack that rocked the city of Marrakech, Morocco on April 28, 2011 is both puzzling and alarming but not entirely unpredictable. Morocco is moving on the fast track in a region full of drama. And so while emotions are running high, a lot remains at stake, and inevitably something is bound to go wrong. ...
[Security and Politics] Can Bouteflika Deliver Democracy to his People?
[By Arezki Daoud | The North Africa Journal] At the end of a 20 minute-televised speech, the Algerian President, Abdelaziz Bouteflika pledged that he will be personally the guarantor of his new reform agenda. Under mounting pressure, Bouteflika went on television on Friday, April 15, 2011 as his country has been facing unprecedented levels of protests from a broad swath of the active and unemployed populations, while evolving in a deeply disrupted region....
[Corporate Affairs] Business as Usual for Corporate Morocco
There is noticeable decrease in tourism activity across North Africa and Morocco is witnessing a small impact there. Yet, for the broad economy, the Arab revolutions have not fully afftected Morocco. This is largely due to the fact that Morocco is focused on its own economic growth, while remaining solidly tied to the EU. With limited economic relations with the affected countries, it is no surprise that it's business as usual for many Moroccan firms. Below are some reports that analyze the performance of key companies, ending with a full review of the Casablanca Stock Exchange....
[Security and Politics] The Tunisian Military: An Honorable Institution with Revenge in Mind
[By Arezki Daoud | daoud@north-africa.com | 508-981-6937 | Twitter: @northafrica] The Tunisian defense forces acted honorably as their country faced a major political crisis. By deciding not to intervene, General Rachid Ammar and his men and women in uniform showed unparallel professionalism that most Arab countries’ military lack. By doing so, they accelerated the demise of the dictator, responding to the wishes of the Tunisian people. But were the armed forces simply and squarely abiding by their constitutional duties or were they motivated by a sense of payback and revenge against Ben Ali? Information from Tunis suggests that military role was motivated by a little bit of both....
[Security and Politics] The King's Speech: Good Start but Incomplete!
[By Arezki Daoud | daoud@north-africa.com | 508-981-6937 | Twitter: @northafrica] Under pressure from the street, the King of Morocco Mohamed VI recently gave a highly anticipated speech on his political reform agenda. Although no doubt the speech provided some positive news, deflating popular pressure, and moving Morocco one step forward, many more steps are needed to fulfill and comply with the legitimate demands of Morocco’s youth and the pro-democracy movement. ...
[Economy and Trade] Global Investors Reassessing their MENA Posture: Investments in the Region Likely to Drop Considerably
[By Arezki Daoud | daoud@north-africa.com | 508-981-6937 | Twitter: @northafrica] Ever since former President Ben Ali was toppled by the Tunisian people, risk management and assessment executives in global corporations have been working around the clock to figure out what posture to take. The subsequent events that followed in form of a domino effect, starting with the deterioration of the Egyptian market, then the acceleration of risk in Libya as that country exploded forced corporations to halt operations, evacuate foreign staffs out of the danger zones, and reevaluate where they stood. ...
[Energy and Mining] Growing Concerns Over Transparency of Oil Sales by Libyan Rebels
[The North Africa Journal] Reports that opposition forces in Libya will begin exporting crude oil from areas under their control raise concerns about the transparency of oil revenues, Human Rights Watch said today. Libya’s people have a right to information about a major national resource, Human Rights Watch said. The New York-based organization called on the self-appointed opposition authority, the Interim Transitional National Council, to respect internationally accepted standards of transparency for all sales of crude oil and gas that it arranges. In contrast, oil and gas transactions by the Gaddafi government have been opaque and lacked accountability for many years....
[Security and Politics] Civil War in Libya: From the Euphoria of a Revolution to a Protracted Conflict
[By Arezki Daoud | daoud@north-africa.com | US+508-981-6937] The plot is set. Muamar Gaddafi cannot leave his country without risking an immediate arrest. He cannot give up Tripoli easily or else he will find himself without hostages and risk being killed by the Libyan people. Cornered as a mad beast, he has nowhere to go and will fight until the last bullet as his son promised. With that in mind, unless a miracle happens, like a foreign military intervention, the Libyan civil war could go on for a long while. ...Author info
Arezki Daoud
Arezki Daoud is a leading analyst on North African affairs. He has been editor of The North Africa Journal since 1996. The publication reaches over 50,000 decision makers worldwide. Having lived and worked in North Africa, Mr. Daoud's analytical expertise on the region spans from the energy and industrial sectors to security and political affairs. Arezki is familiar with the speech circuit and briefing the business and government communities on the countries of the Maghreb region and is widely quoted in the press.
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