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| 205th.
issue - January 15, 2008
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North
Africa's Legal Systems
A Look at the Judicial Systems of
Algeria and Morocco
Under one-party rule since independence in 1962, Algeria
attached little importance to the role of the judiciary
in society. Judges were on a par with other civil servants
until the adoption of a series of constitutional revisions
in 1989, which marked the beginning of a brief democratic
interlude. In neighboring Morocco, the constitution states
that the judicial system is independent of the executive
and legislature. This principle is confirmed by civil and
criminal law, and made concrete through a legal statute
on judges' careers supervised by the supreme council of
the magistracy (CSM). The CSM is composed of the country's
most senior judges, many of them elected by their peers,
and it determines nominations, promotions, transfers and
sanctions. How independent are the judicial systems of Algeria
and Morocco? This special section reviews the structure
and workings of the two Maghreb nations' legal systems,
with implications on the conduct of business there.
Royal
Power and Judicial Independence in Morocco
Algeria’s
Judiciary: from Bad Beginnings to an Uncertain Future
Trade
Tunisia’s
Economic Integration into the EU
The Tunisian economy is now near full integration with the
European Union. Starting January 1, 2008, the remaining tariffs
on industrial products have been lifted, following a 12 year
process that took into account a progressive dismantling of
trade tariffs. The news is good for Tunisia, where officials
claim never needing to use measures to protect specific industries.
According to them, there has never been a need to protect
affected sectors.
Information Technology
North
Africa Embraces WiMAX
Libya will be among the very first African countries to embrace
WiMAX, a technology that makes wireless access to the Internet
available at a much wider range (up to 50 kilometers) than
what Wi-Fi offers today. Other Maghreb countries have invested
over the past couple of years in building WiMAX infrastructure.
Markets: Airline Sector
Intense
Activity in the Libyan Airline Sector
The
aviation sector in Libya is booming, driven by a plethora
of investments in airport constructions and upgrades, the
opening of the Libyan sky, the establishment of new airlines,
the renewal of fleets and spending on the country’s air
defense capabilities. In the infrastructure sector, Tripoli
will benefit from a new €1 billion airport, which will be
delivered in 24 months and will cover an area of about 3,000
acres (1,165 hectares), capable of handling 100 aircraft.
Regional
Security
Al
Qaeda Scores Major Coup: Dakar Rally Cancelled Due to Terror
Threats
Did
the French Foreign Ministry Miscalculate its Decision? The
Dakar Rally is celebrating its 30th anniversary on a sour
note. This year, the race has been cancelled, the first time
ever in its history under the threat of Al Qaeda Maghreb.
This is not the first year Al Qaeda issued threats to organizers
of the France-based Paris-Dakar Rally (PDR). It did in past
years but the rally managed to go on with no glitches, despite
last minutes tweaks and adjustments. For example in 2000,
similar security threats forced the organizers to transfer
its assets from Niger to Libya aboard a Russian aircraft carrier,
the Antonov 124. Shifting to Mauritania later appeared to
have been a wise decision on the security front. Last year,
the competitors were forced to avoid the Timbuktu track where
the risk was considered imminent.
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IN
THIS ISSUE
Company Profile:
Morocco’s
ONA Holding
Strabag
of Austria Wins Infrastructure Project in Libya
French
Firm Thales Hired to Help Modernize Algeria's Railways
Bancassurance
in the Minds of Algerian Bankers
Economic
Reforms in North Africa Viewed by the World Bank
Tunisia’s
Economic Integration into the EU
ENERGY/MINING
SECURITY,
POLITICS
& DIPLOMACY
Lagha’s
Jail Term Upheld by Tunisian Court
Algiers
to Step up Recruitment in Law Enforcement, UN Considers New Security
Measures in Algeria
Al
Qaeda Scores Major Coup: Dakar Rally Cancelled Due to Terror Threats
Rumors
of Pending Changes in Algerian Cabinet
A
Look at the Judicial Systems in Algeria and Morocco
Royal
Power and Judicial Independence in Morocco
Algeria’s
Judiciary: from Bad Beginnings to an Uncertain Future
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