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A Season of Discontent: Algiers and Tunis Remain Under Stress

After ending the year in agitation, Tunis and Algiers are not out of woods yet. As 2011 starts, new crises continue to trouble authorities. For example Tunisia has been the target of Internet attacks, essentially bringing government websites out of commission. The Anonymous Group has been busy since January 2, 2011 staging distributed denial of service attacks and 3 days later government sites remain unreachable. These attacks are motivated by the Group's support of both Wikileaks, blocked in Tunisia and in support to Tunisian protesters in broad terms. Meanwhile, authorities in Tunisia have been on the edge as tension mounted during the Wednesday, January 5, 2011 burial of Mohamed Bouazzizi, the young unemployed man who burned himself to death on December 17. His death triggered a popular chain reaction of anger not seen in years.
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[North Africa] The Good and the Bad

2010 has come and gone and it is time for a quick reality check on where the Maghreb’s economy stands as we greet 2011. The good news first: broadly speaking, the region is getting wealthier. Despite their slow pace, national economies continued to grow in 2010 and managed to face the global economic crisis relatively well. Morocco and Tunisia were on track reforming several sectors to remain competitive; Algeria and Libya continued to benefit from sustained demand for oil and gas, fueling their own infrastructure investment projects. ...
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[News] Deputy Editor Alessandro Bruno to Tour Southern Europe

The North Africa Journal is pleased to announce that Deputy Editor and Senior Analyst on African and Middle Easters affairs Alessandro Bruno will tour Southern Europe in the first half of January 2011. ...
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[North Africa] Podcast: Packages from Yemen

Deputy Editor of The North Africa Journal discusses the latest security scare following the discovery of suspicious packages on flights bound to the United States and originating from Yemen. Click on the bottom bar at the left to listen to the CTV interview or on the image here....
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[North Africa] Tunisian Journalist Must Be Freed

North Africa is facing a dangerous period for press freedom and objective reporting. Governments continue or have recently launched fresh attacks against journalists who report their observations of the facts on the ground based on their independent views. From Morocco's crackdown on any discussion over the Western Sahara conflict to Tunisia's sustained harassment of reporters, there is no shortage of bad news from the region. Newspapers are punished for having a different view, and reporters jailed without a serious due process. ...
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[North Africa] Immigration in France: “No Inner City is Above the Law,” Sarkozy

During a recent visit at the French Prefecture in a Seine Saint-Denis suburb, French President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed his unwavering support to Christian Lambert recently elected as new Prefect (equivalent to Governor) of the Seine-Saint-Denis’ Department, setting forth his intent to implement strict anti-juvenile laws, imposing stiff penalties to those that would skip class or create disorder at school. The issue is of high interest to the immigrant communities in France, in particular North Africans who may be the first targets of upcoming measures....
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[North Africa] North Africa Security Assessment and Business Outlook Briefing

Concord, MA: The North Africa Journal is pleased to announce the holding of a breakfast briefing in Washington DC on June 17, 2010 that would provide an assessment of the state of security in North Africa, along with a business outlook. Attendees will have a unique opportunity to interact with leading experts on North African affairs, Arezki Daoud and Alessandro Bruno. ...
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[North Africa] Dubai’s Illusive Dream and Impact on North Africa: Seeing through the Arabian Mirage

Ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi once said “a country is never as poor as when it seems filled with riches,” and that may be very true for Dubai....
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[North Africa] Capturing Business Opportunities in North Africa While Avoiding Risk

The North Africa Journal is pleased to provide a free presentation on how to capture business opportunities in North Africa while avoiding risk....
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[North Africa] Irrational Behavior

I certainly don’t want to minimize the difficulty facing the Algerians and Egyptians as they dance around the crisis that came out of a football match this week. But I predict that it will soon be water under the bridge. ...
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Algeria to Nationalize Orascom Algeria’s Mobile Phone Unit

The North Africa Journal | The Algerian government is slated to take over a majority stake in the mobile phone operator Djezzy. Previously owned by the Egyptian Orascom, then sold to Russia’s Vimpelcom, the company is likely to be 51% under the control of the State of Algeria after a long battle pitting Orascom CEO Naguib Sawiris against Algeria. The news of the takeover was announced by the Algerian postal and technology minister on Saturday, January 8, 2012.
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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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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Featured author
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Nasima Alli

Nasima Alli is The North Africa Journal's News Editor. She has been an observer of the North African scene over the past several years. Based in New York, her interest in the region spans from cultural and gender issues to human rights and politics.
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