North Africa’s Economy
Morocco travel sector facing a daunting outlook
The resumption of domestic flights at the end of June in Morocco, followed by a partial reopening of borders on July 15, all in a context of easing of containment measures, had given the travel industry hope. But the announcement on July 26 of the closure of eight...
Egypt: Impasse in talks over Nile dam. Sudan threatens to withdraw
Egypt on Tuesday called for a suspension of meetings with Ethiopia on Addis Ababa's massive dam construction project on the Nile. Sudan threatened to withdraw from the talks saying Ethiopia insisted on linking them to renegotiating a deal on sharing the waters of the...
Former and current ENI CEOs in trouble over alleged bribery in Nigeria
North Africa Journal's editor's note: Although this case is on ENI's alleged corruption case in Nigeria, ENI's subsidiary Saipem has also been implicated in alleged wrongdoing in Algeria. Rome - AFP - Italian prosecutors said late Tuesday they are seeking an...
Libya’s businesses in ruin
Libyan businessman Mahmud al-Sharkassi surveyed the ruins of his factory on the outskirts of war-scarred capital Tripoli, disheartened but determined to get back to work. "This used to be the heart of my project. Everything started here," he said, looking over...
Algeria: The economic cost of the Covid-19 epidemic in Algeria
Algiers, July 18, 2020- Algeria said Saturday that the coronavirus crisis on top of falling oil prices have caused unprecedented damage to its economy, including over $1 billion in losses in the public sector alone. "Algeria is facing an unprecedented difficult...
Tunisia: Protesters block key pipeline in Tataouine
Tunis, July 17, 2020 - Protesters demanding jobs in Tunisia's marginalised south have blocked a key pipeline carrying half the country's oil production after hundreds stormed a crude production site, the energy ministry said Friday. On Thursday demonstrators pushed...
Algeria: Sonatrach rep in Lebanon among those charged by judge in tainted fuel scandal
Beirut, July 10, 2020 - A Lebanese investigative judge charged dozens of people including top officials Friday over a delivery of suspect fuel intended for the electricity sector, a judicial source and state media said. The "tainted fuel" case made headlines in March...
Libya’s oil production to resume after lifting force majeur
Tripoli, July 10, 2020 - The Libyan National Oil Company announced Friday the resumption of oil production and exports after a nearly six-month shutdown due to conflict dividing the country. "The NOC has lifted force majeure on all oil exports from Libya," the company...
Egypt: Cairo has two new airports
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Monday inaugurated two more airports near Cairo in a bid to lure tourists as Egypt aims to recover from the economic downturn caused by coronavirus. One airport is in Egypt's new administrative capital, about 50 kilometres (30 miles)...
Egypt’s Shalateen Mining Company finds gold deposits in Eastern Desert
Egypt has discovered a gold deposit estimated at more than one million ounces in the country's southeast, the petroleum ministry said Tuesday. "The discovery .... is worth over $1 billion in investments over the next 10 years," the ministry said in a statement. The...