North Africa
Libya and the ICC: In the Pursuit of Justice?
The North Africa Journal | By Leila Hanafi | The ongoing post-conflict reconstruction process in Libya is reigniting a crucial debate among transitional justice advocates as to the role the International Criminal Court (ICC) can play in delivering justice and redress to victims of grave crimes. In the midst of the February 2011 revolution, the ICC opened an investigation into crimes allegedly committed in Libya, based on United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1970. The Court has to date issued three arrest warrants for Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi, Abdullah Al-Senussi and Muammar Gaddafi. The warrant against Muammar Gaddafi was withdrawn following his death, while Al-Islam Gaddafi is currently detained in Libya and Al-Senussi in Mauritania. Neither has been turned over to the ICC. The Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) has asserted that it wishes to try these men in Libya, while France has declared its intention to purse Al-Senussi’s extradition for earlier alleged crimes. However, the ICC, along with many human rights groups nationally and internationally, question Libya’s capacity to conduct fair trials against these high profile individuals.
Legislative Elections: Algeria Takes Three Steps Backward
The North Africa Journal | The expression “the People Have Chosen” does not apply to Algeria’s legislative elections held last week. And judging by the winners, it’s going to be business as usual for the incoming rubber-stamping assembly....
France’s New President: Foreign Policy and Where North Africa Stands
The North Africa Journal | President-elect François Hollande of France has his work cut out on the foreign policy front. His predecessor is leaving office with a sense of missed achievements and a series of policies blunders that need urgent fixing. In a five-year period, Sarkozy failed to leverage appropriately and responsibly his country’s global leadership position as a major economic and military power. That started with his failure to impose a more assertive France on the burning issues of the Euro-zone and the serious topic of the future of Europe....
Algeria vs. Morocco: And the Tit-for-Tat Goes On
The North Africa Journal | Moroccans and Algerians love to hate each other. I am not talking about the people, who are exactly the same in identity, ethnicity, religion and customs and have only respect for one another, but about their governments and leaders, who continue to feud and refuse to face up to the geo-strategic realities of the region today. ...
Libya: Not out of the Woods Yet
The North Africa Journal | Libya is not out of the woods yet. And for those who think solutions to its multi-faceted crises are near, they should reconsider their views very carefully. It is certain that for a few multinational companies, the time is right to re-engage. With a country that has so much oil and gas, the time is always right to engage. ...
North Africa: A Fast Evolving Landscape
We felt rather guilty for releasing to you an 80+ page issue. For a moment we thought we should split it into two installments, but here’s the problem: North Africa is a never ending source of critical matters at this very important junction of its history. The news and fast developing stories keep on pouring at such a speed that they inevitably require large amounts of reporting. ...
Algeria: The Difficult Birth of a Moderate Islamist Political Coalition
While Islamists in Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt have made inroads in the area of governance, and are currently being tested, their Algerian counterparts still remain largely in the opposition. Energized by the outcome of the various elections in the region, Algeria’s various legal Islamist parties seem to be working to coordinate a common approach. But a closer look at their position reveals that they are in competition against one another for leadership as Algerians get closer to their May 2012 election season....
Algerians and Moroccans Use Cyber Attacks to Settle their Political Feuds
The North Africa Journal | In the evening of November 8, 2011, nearly 200 Moroccan companies and other institutions were the targets of cyber attacks. The exact figure was not confirmed but the event led to the defacing of corporate and institutional websites, making them virtually useless for a short while. What was interesting in this wave of websites defacing was the widespread sentiment that the authors of the attacks were from Algeria. What’s also interesting was the fact that Algerian sites were also the targets of attacks earlier, in the morning of Tuesday and so the cyber attacks against Morocco were of a retaliatory nature. Among the Algerian institutions that faced a cyber attack early Tuesday was the Algerian Tax Department (Direction Générale des Impôts or DGI)....
Morocco Spends More on Subsidies to Ease Public Opinion on the Political Front
The North Africa Journal | The Moroccans have had their quiet revolution. No drama like Tunisia or Libya, but the regime and the monarchy have taken notice. With public anger boiling at some point over the issue of democracy, Morocco had its near-miss moment. With a clever announcement of changes in the constitution, largely of cosmetic nature, King Mohammed VI swiftly aborted a potential catastrophe, avoiding the sort of fate that the former leaders of Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen and now Syria have met....
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. ...
With an Islamist Electoral Victory, Morocco Forced to Adopt Political Cohabitation
The North Africa Journal | With less than half the eligible voters going into the voting booths on Friday, the Moroccans woke up on Saturday with the news that the Islamists of the Justice and Development Party (PJD) were bracing to form a coaltion government. ...
Is Egypt's Military Kneeling Under Public Pressure?
The North Africa Journal | After the bloody crackdown of the past days leading to dozens of deaths on the civilian side, the Egyptian military rulers say they will seek a political exit to the crisis. Although the military's public statements are still considered by protesters as insufficient, the Egyptian second uprising is clearly putting enormous pressure on the Junta....
Saif Gaddafi Captured Trying to Escape to Niger
The North Africa Journal | The ruthless Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of the killed Libyan dictator Muamar Gaddafi was captured somewhere between Obari and Sabha, in the south of Libya. Saif was apparently preparing to cross to Niger....
Maroc Telecom Struggles under Competitive Pressure
The North Africa Journal | Equity Research | The Moroccan telecom giant Maroc Telecom has had a difficult time these days. The company has been delivering weak performances with both its domestic and African businesses facing saturated mobile phone markets and stiff competition. ...
Manipulated, the Touaregs in Search for a Way Forward
The North Africa Journal | By Arezki Daoud | A dignified Berber population, the Touaregs often consider themselves as free nomadic pastoralist people and want to remain so. For decades, they have resisted pressure from various governments to force them to settle. But their refusal to do so led to retaliations in form of social segregation and economic "starvation." Vulnerable, the Touaregs have also become the toys of ruthless politicians and governments in the regions who have been using them to settle scores against one another....
Despair and Self-Immolation in Algeria
The North Africa Journal | It is ironic how Africa’s second largest economy is unable to cope with its housing shortage. The situation is so bad that virtually all riots and too many recorded suicides are the result of housing despair. ...
Post-Gaddafi Analysis: Deepening Crisis Expected in the Sahel and Beyond
The North Africa Journal | Already the source of terrorism, organized crime, failed states and misery, the Sahel can become even more dangerous for itself and its neighbors. The crisis in Libya is setting the stage for what appears to be a serious looming crisis. With the proliferation of weapons, an abundance of former pro-Gaddafi fighters, combined with the massive movement of migrants from Sub-Sahara Africa, the Sahel region is bracing for further destabilization....
Petroleum Activity Resumes in Libya
The North Africa Journal | With the Gaddafi regime eliminated, oil industry activity is resuming in Libya on a fast pace. The Italian energy giant ENI, Libya's biggest player in the oil sector, managed to get its Mellitah Oil & Gas operation going, with a resumption of gas production from the offshore platform of Sabratha on November 2, 2011. ...
The Failed State of Yemen: Poverty, Security, Regional Concerns & Outlook
Yemen’s instability is a risk for the whole Middle East region. Both western and regional powers have been too focused on Yemen’s perceived security threats, focusing on military solutions only. The problems are more complex and rooted in Yemen’s failure to develop institutions, weakening the State. This has resulted in instability and factionalism....