Economy/Trade:
The
Rise of Oil Prices: Not All Maghreb Countries Are Equal
Despite
important cultural, linguistic, religious, and ethnic similarities,
as well as a common history, North African countries have
not only chosen different political systems that conflict
with one another, but their economies appear to follow different
paths. Oil wealth has further exacerbated the gap that exists
between these countries and if oil prices remain high, this
trend is likely to accelerate.
[read
here]
Energy
and Mining:
Global
Oil Giants to Compete for Exploration Licenses in Libya
Libya
will launch a second wave of exploration licensing early next
month and competition will be tight. Global oil companies
have long started lobbying the Libyan government to win as
many licenses as they can. From Algeria's Sonatrach to Brazil's
Petroleo Brasileiro, to Japan's Nippon Oil Corp and almost
all the big names in the industry, everyone wants a piece
of the pie. [read
here]
Agriculture:
North African Nations Adopt New Fishing
Regulations
The
Maghreb countries of Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and Libya
have joined forces with their Mediterranean neighbors to introduce
more stringent regulations on fishing. The purposes of these
regulations are to safeguard deep-sea habitats and reduce
by-catch to support productive fisheries. The new fishing
regulations have entered into force on September 5, 2005 and
have been adopted by the 24 members of FAO's General Fisheries
Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM). [read
here]
Corporate
Affairs:
A
Marriott Hotel Planned for 2007 in Algiers
Washington
DC-based Marriott International, Inc. says it will manage
a new luxurious 274-room JW Marriott hotel in Algiers under
a management agreement reached with Societe de Development
Hotelier. When opened in 2007, the JW Marriott Hotel Algiers
will be Marriott International's first property in Algeria.
The beachfront hotel will be located 20 kilometers west of
Algiers in a community called Clubs des Pins, which is about
a 40-minute drive from the Algiers International Airport.
The site will also include 5,000 square meters of office space.
[read
here]
Social/Labor
Affairs:
Back
to School Season in Full Swing in North Africa
It's
back-to-school season in North Africa. In Morocco more than
6.5 million students have enrolled in K-12 schools and universities
for the 2005-2006 season, which began this month (September).
Official statistics show K-12 enrolments were up 3%, while
higher education enrolments grew 12% compared to the previous
season. In neighboring Algeria, students in the north of the
country, representing the overwhelming majority of the student
body also began their school season.
[read
here]
