Government/Politics
Cabinet Reshuffle in Algeria:
Bouteflika Wants a Policy Implementation Team
President Abdelaziz Bouteflika ordered a reshuffle of the
government cabinet. The move has undoubtedly pleased Prime
Minister Ahmed Ouyahia, who in addition to being reappointed
as head of the cabinet for a third consecutive term, he also
saw his position further strenghtned with the appointment
of "new" ministers who essentially endorse his policies
and approve his leadership role. The new appointments focus
essentially on three areas of government. The first is economic
with the return of market economy minded and ultra liberal
Temmar and Medelci, the second is diplomatic with the appointment
of Judge Bedjaoui to pilot Algeria's maturing relations with
foreign partners, and in the defense area with the establishment
of a new cabinet post to push for the reform of the military.
Water
Tunisia
Seeks Efficient Water Management
The
year 1992 was a tipping point in Tunisia's water resource
management and strategy. The drought that troubled the entire
region that year forced Tunisia to recognize that a sound
water management policy must be developed to deal with droughts
and water shortages. The urgency of the matter led the government
to focus its attention on the building of large water infrastructure
to the disadvantage of the traditional systems developed over
centuries of rural practices.
Auto Market
Moroccan
Auto Market Expands 19.7% Year on Year in 1Q05, Renault Top
Vendor
Auto
sales in Morocco continue to expand, thanks to sustained demand
and a growing middle class. After a 14.6% rise in unit sales
in the month of February, the month of March sustained the
trend and the first quarter of 2005 grew by a strong 19.7%
year on year. These results are indicative of a demand side
that remains healthy. While the sale of utility vehicles fell
by 36% year on year to just 2,242 units, the sale of automobiles
expanded by a massive 41.26% to 12,876 units.
Agriculture
Morocco
Imports First Batch of Cows After Removing Ban
Some
282 bovines represented the first group of Holstein cattle
to enter Morocco since November 10, 2005. The cargo arrived
in the Jorf Lasfar on April 21, 2005 from the French port
of Sete on board the Jihan ship. The animals were imported
by the Moroccan milk and dairy firm Centrale Laitière.
The animals are a special breed and highly productive as they
are capable of producing up to 30 liters of milk per day,
compared to the average 15 liters per day currently recorded
in Moroccan farms.
Telecom Market
France Telecom Makes Inroad Into the Algerian
Satellite
The
Algerian unit of the French telecom firm France Telecom, France
Telecom Mobile Satellite Communication Algérie (FTMSC)
and its local partner, Wireless Multimedia Communications
Satellite (WMCSAT) have recently launched a mobile telecommunications
service that covers the entire Algerian territory. The two
companies are headed by Erik Ceuppens on the FTMSC side and
Kamel Darmouni on the WMCSAT side.
Corporate Affairs
Moroccan
Oil Refiner Samir Announces 14% Increase in Profit for Fiscal
'04
The
Moroccan oil refiner Samir, a unit owned and operated by the
Sweden-based, Saudi-owned Corral, released its fiscal 2004
results showing a 14% increase in post-tax profit and a 30%
increase in revenue. The year 2004 was a busy one for Samir
and one with significant events affecting its business. After
lengthy negotiations, Samir and the government of Morocco
reached an agreement on a series of points regarding the company's
activities in the country.
Air Transport
Air
France to Reduce Fares to and from Algeria, to Add New Flights
this Summer
Airline
carriers operating to and from Algeria are busy planning the
upcoming summer season. Summer is the peak travel period,
which attracts millions of immigrants returning home, mostly
from France. This is a very lucrative market but remains largely
seasonal.
Public
Health
Asthma
Kills 2,000 People in Algeria
Some
2,000 people are killed each year by Asthma in Algeria, according
to medical sources there. Most of the victims are between
15 and 25 years of age. Authorities recognize that the handling
of asthma has not been on the top of their agenda and blame
the lack of intiatives and policies for this high death figure.
