[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on the Maghreb and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Maghreb Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each roundup to maghreb@jadaliyya.com]
Algeria:
قضيةرأسالماء.. فضيحةفتحتطابوالتحرشاتالجنسيةفيالعمل News of a sexual harassment scandal involving the mayor the Ras El Ma township in the Sidi Bel Abbes province spread throughout the country, largely with the help of social media sites such as Facebook, opening a wider dialogue on sexual assault and harassment.
أزمةالهجرة: منالمستبعدأنتفتحالجزائرأيةمنطقةاحتجاز Stressing that Algeria faces similar problems to European countries, the Algerian minister of foreign affairs announced the low likelihood of the country opening a detention area for migrants and that Algeria would continue to deport migrants based on arrangements with neighboring countries.
Algeria's Bouteflika sacks national police chief President Bouteflika dismissed national police chief General Abdelghani Hamel in a move local media suspect may be connected to the mishandling and subsequent investigation of a shipment of 701 kilograms of cocaine in the Western port of Oran.
Algeria abandons 13,000 migrants in Sahara Desert Over the past fourteen months, Algeria abandoned more than thirteen thousand migrants and refugees in the Sahara Desert and pointed them toward Niger, according to an Associated Press report that Algerian authorities denounced as defamatory.
أويحيىيدافععنأدائهالحكوميويتهمأطرافابتأجيجالجبهة Ahmed Ouyahia, secretary general of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) defended his government’s performance and criticized parties attempting to host migrants in Algeria.
بنكالجزائر: إجراءاتجديدةلترقيةالادخاربالعملةالأجنبيةللأفراد Officials at the Bank of Algeria announced a plan to increase the collection of foreign currency through the banking system, allowing naturalized residents and non-residents to open accounts in foreign currency.
Ongoing health sector strike is the longest protest in Algeria's history In its eighth month, the strike by medical residents stands as the longest labor protest in Algeria’s history, led by the independent union, the Autonomous Collective of Algerian Medical Residents (CAMRA), in an effort to improve member conditions and end compulsory civil service.
Algeria and Iraq shut down internet to prevent exam cheating After major high school exam leaks in 2016, Algeria ordered telecom companies to shut down the entire country’s internet to prevent cheating until 25 June, including a complete block of Facebook for the five days of testing.
Libya:
إيطالياتقترحبناءللمهاجرينفيليبيا The Italian minister of the interior, Matteo Salvini, visits Libya to discuss the crisis of immigrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea from Libya to Italy, and proposes establishing immigration centers near Libya’s Southern border in order to help stem the flow of people.
أبوالغيطيدعوللحفاظعلىالمنشآتالنفطيةالليبية Ahmed Aboul Gheit, secretary general of the Arab League, confirmed the league’s commitment to supporting the political process of national reconciliation in Libya, while stressing the importance of protecting and restoring oil infrastructure.
South Korea to reopen its embassy in September and allow its companies to resume projects in Libya South Korea announced its intention to reopen its embassy in Tripoli and allow South Korean companies to resume projects in areas such as construction, housing, electricity, and banking.
رئيسالمؤسسةالوطنيةللنفطفيليبيايعلناستعادةميناءيالسدرةورأسلانوفالنفطيين The president of Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced the recapture of the Sidra and Ras Lanuf oil ports, which had been damaged and closed due to attacks carried out by militants opposing the Libyan National Army (LNA), after production losses of approximately 450,000 barrels per day.
مسؤولأممييتحدثعنأوضاعالمهجرينفيليبيا The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced a visit of High Commissioner Filippo Grandi to Libya, where he discussed the situation facing migrants and internally displaced persons (IDP) in the country.
Oil crescent fighting will lose Libya billions in oil revenues: NOC Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) will decrease oil revenues by “billions” after militants destroyed oil tanks reducing crude oil storage by four hundred thousand barrels.
The Wrong Way to Fix Libya Frederic Wehrey and Wolfram Lacher argue that the lack of a firm constitutional basis will prevent early elections in Libya from forming a stable government with accepted legitimacy.
Mauritania:
مندوبودولالإتحادالإفريقيعاكفونعلىجدولأعمالالقمة Permanent representatives of African Union member countries met in Nouakchott to draft reports and set the agenda on a range of issues for the opening of the African Union Summit.
الجيشالموريتانييحذر: منقبونعنالذهبيتعاملونمعجماعاتإرهابية The Mauritanian army issued warnings of danger in the closed military zone in the north of the country, partially due to collaboration between a number of the region’s gold miners and terrorist organizations in smuggling operations.
African Union to Discuss Corruption in Mauritania Conference The thirty-first Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU), held in Nouakchott, plans to focus on corruption and is themed “Winning the Fight Against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa’s Transformation.”
Worldwide pressure to release two anti-slavery activists ahead of African Union Summit Ahead of the African Union (AU) Heads of State summit scheduled for 1-2 July, Amnesty International called for Mauritania to release Moussa Biram and Abdallahi Mattallah, two anti-slavery activists who have been detained for the past two years.
موريتانيونيزدحمونأماممحلبيعأعلافب"انيور" المالية Crowds gathered in front of an animal feed shop in Anoure that reported being completely out of stock, while the pastoralists attempt to find enough food to save starving cattle from the lack of pasture and the collapse of Mauritania’s feed markets.
موريتانياتطلبرأيالدينفي "قانونالنوع" المثيرللجدل Mauritania’s Ministry of Social Affairs, Childhood, and Family consulted with religious authorities to gain their opinion on a draft law attempting to combat violence against women and girls through both prosecution of offenders and protection of victims.
Mauritania names veteran diplomat as foreign minister ahead of African Union summit Mauritania appointed diplomat Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, former UN envoy to Yemen and former envoy for the UN Mission for Emergency Ebola Response, as foreign minister ahead of the African Union Summit.
As millions face hunger in Sahel, more accountability is needed to attract support, warns Red Cross President Francesco Rocca, the president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), argued that humanitarian actors need to better manage funds from partners and supporters in order to tackle food insecurity in the Sahel region, as 5.8 million people in Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Niger, and Senegal require immediate food assistance.
Morocco:
٨٤ فيالمائةمنأربابالمقاولاتيتوقعوناستقرارافيعددالمشتغلين When polled, eighty-four percent of Moroccan employers claim to expect a stable number of employees in the second quarter, thanks to expectations of steady or increased sales, despite general challenges with unemployment levels and declines in several types of transport activities.
أمزازييستعرضبالمستشارينإجراءاتوزارتهللنهوضبالتعليمفيالعالمالقروي As part of the strategic vision for 2015-2030 reforms, Minister of National Education Said Amazazi announced that rural education improvement serves as one of the ministry’s greatest priorities and socio-economic challenges
General resentment over judicial decisions against 'Hirak Rif' activists After the Court of Appeals in Casablanca convicted Nasser Zafzafi, leader of the Rif’s Hirak Movement, and tens of other activists on charges of undermining national security, opposition movements and protesters issued statements condemning the ten-to-twenty year sentences and calling for the release of the activists.
Morocco border chief says Libya curbs creating new pressures As the clampdown on Mediterranean Sea routes between Libya and Italy intensifies, Morocco faces increasing numbers of migrants trying to pass through on the way to Europe, but the country objects to the notion of hosting a screening center to assess migrant eligibility for entry to Europe.
انتخاباتالمجلسالوطنيللصحافةبلائحةوحيدة ..انسحابلائحتي "التغيير" والوفاءوالمسؤولية Ali Bouzerda and Abdel Samad Ben-Sharif announced a boycott of the elections of the National Press Council on the accusation of pre-fixed election results and the exclusion of certain journalists from the vote.
العثماني: مقتلتلميذعلىيدزميلهمحزنوسنتصدىلظاهرةالعنف Prime Minister El Othmani expressed condolences and regret over the killing of a student by a classmate in the town of El Kelaa des Sraghna, indicating his intent to coordinate with other ministers to prevent further violent incidents in public schools, especially during the heightened tension of examination periods.
The last salt miners of Morocco Low pay and harsh working conditions deter Morocco’s youth from becoming salt miners and feature into a larger rural exodus in Morocco amid rising unemployment rates.
Tunisia:
بيأوتكيووبيإنسبورت: صراعقطريسعوديفيمقاهيتونس Beyond disappointment over the national team’s performance at the World Cup, the tournament also affected Tunisia in terms of Saudi-Qatari conflicts over media influence as Saudi channel “BeoutQ” used piracy and social media to break the sport broadcasting monopoly held by Qatari-owned “beIN SPORTS.”
تجارتونسيستبقونارتفاعالأسعاربإخفاءالحليب Due to speculation among milk product traders, many in the dairy market expect milk prices to increase in early July, provoking anger among consumers and calls for a boycott of the industry.
أمةالتهربمنالتجنيد Tunisia’s military consistently falls short in enforcing conscription among young Tunisians, and the low morale, funding, and number of recruits indicates a major challenge for the country amid continued insecurity both internally and with neighbors, such as Libya.
The Tunisian Startup Act Tunisia’s new startup law, passed unanimously by the Tunisian parliament as part of the “Digital Tunisia 2020” initiative, aims to increase the number of startups, but a more thorough legal and regulatory framework remains necessary.
A World Cup of defeats Tunisia stands out in a report that says only 3.9 percent of the population actually supported the team, largely due to the long-standing association between the team and the now-deposed Ben Ali regime.
نفقاتالمساجد: ديونثقيلةلدىالمؤسساتالعمومية A number of religious hardline groups compete for control over the fragile religious space in Tunisia, with the laws regulating this space remaining from the 1980s unchanged to meet the new political realities and the government facing a heavy financial burden to pay for and maintain the mosques.
مساعيتهدئةبعدتلاسنتونسيإيطاليبسببالمهاجرين The foreign ministers of Tunisia and Italy met in Rome for the first time since Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini made derogatory comments about Tunisian immigrants, in an attempt to shore up relations between the two countries in a period of heightened tension over immigration.
Tunisia, Senegal aim to turn things around for Africa Africa’s five World Cup teams failed to achieve many wins in the opening week of the tournament, but a review of the World Cup history of Tunisia and Senegal, in particular, indicate some hope for the continent in the next couple weeks.
Tunisia arrests people smuggler after 87 drowned The Tunisian government arrested the primary organizer of a human trafficking operation after eighty-seven people drowned while being smuggled across the Mediterranean this month, and fired both the interior minister and ten security officials for failing to stop the boat.
Western Sahara:
الرئيسإبراهيمغالييستقبلالمبعوثالشخصيالأمينالعامالأممي The secretary general of the Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali, received the personal envoy of the secretary general of the United Nations, Horst Koehler, as the envoy attempts to make steps toward resuming negotiations between the parties of the Western Sahara conflict.
ورشةبمجلسحقوقالإنسانالتابعالأممالمتحدةبجنيفحولأوضاعاللاجئينالصحراويين Sahrawi human rights activist Dahi al-Bashir joined human rights activists from around the world to participate in a workshop organized by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), highlighting the situation faced by Sahrawi activists.
AU summit 31: The Western Sahara debate heats up The discussion of a report on Western Sahara by heads of state at the African Union (AU) summit in Nouakchott marks the first time the AU directly involves itself in the crisis beyond denouncing Morocco’s occupation of the territory, signaling increased international impatience with the crisis.
US says it backs Morocco autonomy plan for Western Sahara US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan told reporters that he viewed Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara, in which the territory would hold a degree of autonomy while remaining under the Moroccan flag, as a “serious and credible” option for resolving the conflict over the disputed territory.
الجمعيةالوطنيةالفرنسيةتحتضنالإجتماعالتأسيسيللشبكةالبرلمانيةالدوليةلدعمتقريرالمصيربالصحراءالغربية
The French National Assembly hosts the first meeting of the International Parliamentary Network to Support Self-Determination in Western Sahara, a move the representative of the Polisario Front in France claimed demonstrated French commitment to supporting Sahrawi self-determination and independence.
Morocco: Adala UK 'Extremely Concerned' About Arbitrary Detentions of Sahrawi Journalists By Moroccan Authorities Adala UK, a London-based organization focused on human rights in Western Sahara, expressed concern in a report on harassment and arbitrary detentions of Sahrawi journalists by Moroccan authorities.
(موقفالبرلمانالجزائريالداعمللقضيةالصحراويةينسجممعمواقفالجزائرالتاريخيةالداعمةلحقالشعوبفيتقريرالمصير(رئيسلجنةالخارجيةبالبرلمانالجزائري The Algerian parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Committee reiterated its support for the Sahrawi people as in line with Algeria’s historical stance in favor of self-determination during the International Conference in Support of Self-Determination in Western Sahara, hosted in the headquarters of the French National Assembly.
UN's Personal Envoy to Western Sahara Will Visit the Region UN Spokesman Farhan Haq confirmed that Horst Kohler, the Secretary General’s Personal Envoy for the Sahara, plans to visit the region in the week of 23 June, in the hopes of exploring options for the Security Council’s Resolution 2414, which extends the mandate of the UN Mission for Western Sahara (MINURSO) six months instead of one year.
Latest from Jadaliyya
Revue de presse sur les élections municipales en Tunisie An overview of French media coverage in Tunisia’s recent municipal election.
Muriam Haleh Davis and Thomas Serres, eds. North Africa and the Making of Europe: Governance, Institutions and Culture (New Texts Out Now) An interview with editors of North Africa and the Making of Europe elaborates on how “marginal” areas such as North Africa have had a significant impact on the development of Europe.
No Love Lost and Love Gained: On the Morocco-Iran Rift Morocco’s decision to sever ties with Iran and accusations of Iranian support for the Polisario Front comes after decades of tensions with Iran since its 1979 revolution, but the recent changes stem more from an attempt to solidify the relationship with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the United States than it does spite for Iran.
Samia Henni, Architecture of Counterrevolution: The French Army in Northern Algeria (New Texts Out Now) An interview with Samia Henni on her latest book that examines the often neglected aspects of France’s efforts to maintain Algeria under French rule during the Algerian War of Independence.
The Life Span of Alternative Media: Cases of Lake and Mamfakinch in Morocco Journalists and activists in Morocco helped to launch a new wave of alternative online media before, during, and after the 2011 Arab Spring; two alternative media in particular, Lakome and Mamfakinch demonstrate in their life cycles trends of interaction between alternative media, politics, and economic powers.
Jeffrey R. Halverson and Nathaniel Greenberg, Islamists of the Maghreb (New Texts Out Now)Jeffry Halverson and Nathaniel Greenberg discuss their book, Islamists of the Maghreb, in light of the central role that Maghreb countries played in the Arab spring.
زحفالثورةالمضادة Seven years after the Arab Spring began in Tunisia, issues of revolution and counterrevolution persist, as does the urban-rural divide.
James McDougall, A History of Algeria (New Texts Out Now) Interview with historian James McDougall on his latest book entitled A History of Algeria.
Tunisia and the International Community since 2011: Rentierism, Patronage and Moral Hazard Despite perceptions of a democratic Tunisia, the incoming flow of loans has upheld an undemocratic practice of patronage, failing to address protesters’ dominant socioeconomic grievances.
Morocco's Hirak Movement: The People Versus the Makhzen Morocco’s growing Hirak protests against the regime, now spreading throughout the country, receive a historical and political analysis.
Political Parties, Elections, and the Illusion of Opposition in Morocco As shown by the results of the October 2016 parliamentary elections, King Mohammed VI’s control over Moroccan politics demonstrates a pattern of increasing influence in the party system.
The Battleground for the Morocco-Algeria Rivalry The regional rivalry between Morocco and Algeria expands beyond conflict over Western Sahara to competition throughout Africa in light of Morocco’s foreign policy turn towards the continent.
حراكالريف: النظاميراهنعلىالحسمالامني Following months of protests in Morocco’s northern Rif region, the regime’s security forces assert their dominance in managing the ongoing crisis through widespread arrests and repression.