Feb 3, 2026

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

Analysis by The North Africa Journal

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.

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Premium Contents

Egypt joins China’s tariff-free initiative as Beijing opens its market to nearly all of Africa$

by The North Africa Journal | Jul 13, 2026 | Briefs, Business & Economy, Egypt, 1 Up Front, 1shorts, Egypt economy, economy upfront, 111, 1PREMIUM

Egypt joined China’s expanded zero-tariff scheme on 1 May 2026, gaining duty-free access to the Chinese market alongside 52 other African countries with diplomatic ties to Beijing. The move eliminates tariffs that previously ran from 8 to 30 percent on key Egyptian exports, though the arrangement is a two-year preferential window through April 2028 rather than a permanent deal, and non-tariff barriers like rules of origin and phytosanitary standards still apply.

While its Minorities are Winning World Cup Games, France is Preparing to Pivot to the Far Right$

by The North Africa Journal | Jul 13, 2026 | Maghreb, International politics, Politics, politics upfront, Shield and Alert: Maghreb, International, 1PREMIUM, 1-BLUE-LEFT-SECTION-Special-Focus-Free, Briefs, Politics, 1shorts

As France’s multiethnic World Cup squad marches toward the semifinals, the country’s 2027 presidential race is tilting hard right. Right-winger Marine Le Pen leads first-round polling and beats nearly every rival in hypothetical runoffs. With RN president Jordan Bardella waiting in the wings and Jean-Luc Mélenchon consolidating the left, France’s fractured center may not be able to stop either a far-right or hard-left runoff in 2027. Here is our take.

Egypt Clears $6.1 Billion Oil and Gas Arrears, Energy Sector Looks to Rebuild Investor Trust$

by The North Africa Journal | Jul 13, 2026 | Briefs, Business & Economy, Egypt, 1shorts, Egypt economy, 111, 1PREMIUM

Egypt has fully paid the $6.1 billion in arrears it owed foreign oil and gas partners, ending a multi-year backlog tied to its foreign-currency crunch. With the debt paid down to zero by mid-2026, officials are pairing the settlement with new investment incentives and a push to revive onshore drilling, aiming to reverse years of declining crude output.

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