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Moroccan pharmacy unions push back against proposed ownership reformsF

Moroccan pharmacists’ unions are urging regulators and the professional Order to reject proposals that would allow outside investors to hold stakes in pharmacies. They argue the change could weaken professional independence, reshape pharmacies into commercial projects, and pressure smaller operators that support access to medicines nationwide.

Agriculture: Drought‑Hit 2025 Season Leaves Morocco More Dependent on Cereal Imports, According to FAO$

Morocco ended 2025 with a below‑average cereal harvest and higher food inflation, leaving the country more dependent on grain imports going into the 2025/26 marketing year, according to a new country brief from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The report notes that while late‑season rains improved conditions for the winter crop now in the ground, cumulative rainfall during the 2025 growing season was more than 60% below normal in key cereal‑producing areas, sharply curbing yields and forcing authorities to extend subsidy measures and step up import plans to secure supplies.

Algeria’s 2,000‑Kilometer Mining Corridor: Rail, Iron Ore, and the Road to the Mediterranean$

Algeria’s new rail link between Béchar and the giant Gara Djebilet iron ore deposit in Tindouf is designed as far more than a transport upgrade. By tying the remote southwest directly into Oran and other Mediterranean ports, the single‑track, heavy‑freight line is meant to anchor a 2,000‑kilometer economic corridor that can move millions of tons of iron ore and processed steel products while opening up one of the country’s most isolated regions to passengers, jobs, and investment.

Algeria Expands Core Infrastructure Investment Across Core Sectors$

Algeria is scaling up investment in core infrastructure as part of a long-term strategy spanning transport, water security, energy, and mining. Backed by multi-billion-dollar allocations in the 2026 state budget, the program targets roads, railways, ports, airports, and large-scale hydraulic projects, alongside major mining developments linked to new logistics corridors.
Authorities frame the effort as both an economic and social priority, aimed at improving service reliability, supporting industrial growth, and reducing regional disparities, particularly in remote southern areas. Several projects rank among the largest of their kind in Africa and reflect a continued reliance on state-led development to address structural challenges

Morocco’s Lawyers Push Back Against Proposed Changes to Bar Governance$

A proposed law governing Morocco’s legal profession has triggered protests and a nationwide strike, as lawyers accuse the Justice Ministry of sidelining consultations and expanding executive oversight. The dispute suggests broader tensions over professional independence, regulatory authority, and the future of Morocco’s legal market.

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Southern Libya Boils Over: Three Haftar Soldiers Killed in Border Raid Near Niger$

Three soldiers loyal to Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar were killed and several others captured in coordinated attacks on border posts near Niger, underscoring how southern Libya has become a key fault line in the country’s fractured security landscape. Fighters claiming to represent “revolutionaries of the South” say they are targeting Haftar’s forces over dire living conditions and alleged resource plunder, as cross-border armed groups test the limits of state control from Al-Tum to the Salvador Pass.

Tunisia Appeals Court Extends Rached Ghannouchi’s Prison Term by 20 Years$

Tunisia Appeals Court Extends Rached Ghannouchi’s Prison Term by 20 Years$

Rached Ghannouchi, the 84-year-old leader of Tunisia’s Ennahda party, has had his prison sentence increased to 20 years in a case known as “Conspiracy 2,” pushing his cumulative jail time from multiple convictions to more than four decades. His defense team says he will not seek a final appeal, denouncing the charges as politically driven and warning that the ruling deepens Tunisia’s crackdown on organized opposition.

Cyclone Harry’s Hidden Toll: NGOs Fear Up to 1,000 Migrants Lost at Sea$

Up to 1,000 migrants may have vanished in the Central Mediterranean during Cyclone Harry, far more than the 380 people officially listed as missing by maritime authorities, according to humanitarian groups working on the Tunisia–Libya route. The Italian NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans says testimonies from coastal communities around Sfax and from migrants’ families suggest dozens of boats sailed into the storm and never returned, turning what was reported as a series of shipwrecks into what advocates describe as a “hidden catastrophe” at sea.

Morocco Reassures Public on King Mohammed VI’s Mechanical Lumbosciatica$

Morocco’s Royal Palace has confirmed that King Mohammed VI is being treated for mechanical lumbosciatica, a lower‑back condition linked to muscle contracture, but has stressed that his situation is not considered serious. Doctors have prescribed medication and rest to ease the pain, and official statements have emphasized continuity of state affairs while reassuring the public that the 61‑year‑old monarch’s health problem is localized and manageable.

Agriculture: Drought‑Hit 2025 Season Leaves Morocco More Dependent on Cereal Imports, According to FAO$

Morocco ended 2025 with a below‑average cereal harvest and higher food inflation, leaving the country more dependent on grain imports going into the 2025/26 marketing year, according to a new country brief from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The report notes that while late‑season rains improved conditions for the winter crop now in the ground, cumulative rainfall during the 2025 growing season was more than 60% below normal in key cereal‑producing areas, sharply curbing yields and forcing authorities to extend subsidy measures and step up import plans to secure supplies.

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Niger Airport Attack Deepens Sahel’s Security and Diplomatic Strains$

Feb 2, 2026

An overnight assault on the air base embedded in Niamey’s international airport has pushed Niger’s crisis into the capital, wounding soldiers and damaging civilian aircraft. The United States has ordered non‑essential diplomatic staff to leave, while other governments tighten “avoid all travel” warnings, signaling a broader reassessment of risk. As Niamey accuses foreign states and militants claim responsibility, the episode underscores how security, regime politics, and great‑power rivalry now collide in the Sahel.

UAE Regional Influence Under Strain Amid Sudan, Libya, Yemen, and Maghreb Frictions$

Jan 23, 2026

Across Sudan, Libya, Yemen, and the Maghreb, the United Arab Emirates is encountering rising diplomatic friction as regional powers push back against policies seen as destabilizing or misaligned with their security interests. The UAE is facing growing tensions involving Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Algeria, while sustained scrutiny over Sudan and Yemen is reshaping perceptions of Emirati influence.

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POLITICS 

Morocco Allegations Reignite Spain’s Pegasus DebateF

Feb 12, 2026

New reporting has revived scrutiny of the 2021 Pegasus intrusion targeting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s phone, focusing on the Ceuta visit as a potential operational opening and renewing debate over attribution, accountability, and Spain’s wider relationship with Morocco, including questions raised by Morocco’s growing security ties with Israel.

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SECURITY, DEFENSE & TERRORISM

Egypt and Turkey Test Pragmatic Rapprochement After Years of EstrangementF

Feb 10, 2026

Egypt and Turkey are cautiously rebuilding relations after years of estrangement, driven by shifting regional dynamics and converging state interests. Recent defense-industrial cooperation and renewed diplomatic engagement point to a pragmatic recalibration rather than full political reconciliation, as both countries test whether managed coordination can replace prolonged rivalry.

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SOCIAL, LABOR & THE ENVIRONMENT

Tunisia: Leading Labor Union in Turmoil$

Jan 4, 2026

The possible resignation of Noureddine Tabboubi, the general secretary of the UGTT (Tunisian General Labor Union), is the culmination of a deep...

Tunisia: Leading Labor Union in Turmoil$

Jan 4, 2026

The possible resignation of Noureddine Tabboubi, the general secretary of the UGTT (Tunisian General Labor Union), is the culmination of a deep...

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BUSINESS & THE ECONOMY

Algeria’s 2,000‑Kilometer Mining Corridor: Rail, Iron Ore, and the Road to the Mediterranean$

Feb 3, 2026

Algeria’s new rail link between Béchar and the giant Gara Djebilet iron ore deposit in Tindouf is designed as far more than a transport upgrade. By tying the remote southwest directly into Oran and other Mediterranean ports, the single‑track, heavy‑freight line is meant to anchor a 2,000‑kilometer economic corridor that can move millions of tons of iron ore and processed steel products while opening up one of the country’s most isolated regions to passengers, jobs, and investment.

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