French-Algerian Relations: The Weight of History

By Dr. Yahia H. Zoubir | In 1974, Algeria’s President Houari Boumediene declared that, “Relations between France and Algeria may be good or bad, but in no way can they be trivial.” Twenty-six years later, in 2000, his long-time foreign minister and now Algeria’s President, Abdelaziz Bouteflika (1999-present) declared that, “Algeria seeks to have extraordinary, non trivial, not normal, [but] exemplary and exceptional relations with France.” Yet, despite this willingness to turn the page, which, as Boumediene suggested, “cannot be torn up,” relations have often been marred with misunderstandings, conflicts, mutual suspicions and mistrust.

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Energy and Mining

Oil and Energy Sectors Vulnerable to Corruption in North Africa

The North Africa Journal | Corruption in North Africa is a widespread and is a deeply rooted problem. So much so that the activists that are driving the revolts in the Arab world say many of ills that have been crippling economic, social and political progress originate from corruption. While corrupt acts such as paying bribery are widespread in administrations and bureaucracies, the business sector is particularly affected by corrupt practices as well.

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Industries and Markets

CO2 Sequestration to Expand in Algeria’s Gas Fields

Four Western oil companies and Algeria’s Sonatrach are planning to partner in the CO2 sequestration business. The companies are BP and Statoil with focus on the In-Salah fields in southern Algeria and more recently Total, Gaz de France, and Sonatrach revealing a join project in the Timimoun, Ahnet and Touat gas fields located in the southwest of the country.

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Finance and Banking

Banking in Transition

Inside the Tunisian Leasing Sector

[The North Africa Journal] The Tunisian leasing sector currently boasts 10 active companies competing for the market. Most of them are bank subsidiaries which have been set up in the 1990’s in a move to take advantage of a nascent activity which is, after all, a familiar activity for a banker and can be easily integrated in the banks’ main business.

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Economy and Trade

Tunisia: Painful Recovery for the Business Sector

As if the Jasmine Revolution was not enough in itself, the Tunisian economy is also suffering from a massive drop in trade with its troubled eastern neighbor of Libya. Government data suggests that during the recent disturbances, Tunisia lost in all between 5 to 8 billion dinars as a consequence of the inevitable crisis.

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Security and Politics

Chaos in Northern Nigeria

The North Africa Journal | At least 120 people were killed in the troubled northern Nigerian city of Kano on Friday, the country’s second largest city. A series of bomb blasts were reportedly coordinated by the Islamist organization known as Boko Haram.

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Social and Labor Affairs

L'employabilité des diplômés de l'enseignement supérieur

Le chômage des jeunes diplômés de l'enseignement supérieurs a été, sans conteste l'un des ferments de la révolution des jeunes diplômés Tunisiens. Ces derniers sont "les Premiers victimes du chômage", notamment ceux appartenant aux filières du secteur tertiaire. Le chômage affecte d’une façon plus particulière les licenciés, les techniciens supérieurs et les maîtrisards dont le taux de chômage dépasse les 50%. Bien que l'enseignement supérieur en Tunisie a connu une large mutation et des réformes fondamentales ces dernières années. Néanmoins nous traversons actuellement une crise de grande ampleur et d’envergure nationale. C'est la crise de l'emploi est bien spécifique l'employabilité des diplômés universitaires, c'est une crise générale de l'emploi en Tunisie qui risque à terme d’être beaucoup plus nuisible pour l’avenir du système de l'enseignement national Tunisien. La hausse continue du taux de chômage des diplômés universitaires sur ces dernières années montre que l'ancien système d'enseignement supérieur semble vouer à l’échec.

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