North Africa’s Economy
Algeria: Sovac caught in a complex web of corruption
An Algerian public prosecutor has officially communicated the facts in the corruption case related to the SOVAC company, the exclusive representative of Volkswagen in Algeria, which resulted in the sending of little known yet one of the country's biggest fortunes,...
Algeria: Business tycoon Ali Heddad jailed six months over illegal passport possession
Algiers, June 17, 2019 - Algeria's top businessman Ali Haddad, a key supporter of ousted president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, was jailed for six months on Monday for holding two passports, in the first conviction in a string of corruption probes. The business tycoon was...
Libya: NOC warns of possible collapse of oil production amid intensifying civil war
Tripoli, June 3, 2019 - The head of Libya's National Oil Company warned Monday against a "collapse in production" stemming from conflict in the North African country. Oil production "could collapse at any moment", said NOC chairman Mustafa Sanalla, even as he cited...
Libya’s power sector: collateral damage of the civil war
Tripoli, May 31, 2019 | By Nawas Al-Darraji: Precariously perched 50 metres up an electricity pylon providing power to Libya's capital, Mohamad Dahman attempts to fix damage caused by fighting -- but hastily descends when a rocket explodes nearby. "We're used to...
France’s Total to get Anadarko Africa’s assets: What are the challenges ahead?
The takeover of Anadarko by Occidental paves the way for France's Total to acquire Anadarko assets and projects in Africa. A MEA Risk analysis says from afar, this looks like a good deal as all the projects in these countries have tremendous upsides. But it also...
Algeria: Unemployment riots in oil-rich Adrar
Algiers, May 15, 2019 - At least 24 police officers have been wounded in clashes with protesters rallying against unemployment in central Algeria, state media reported Wednesday. Demonstrators in the central Tinerkouk area have been blocking access to an oil company...
Tunisia: Government faces domestic pressure as it negotiates free-trade deal with EU
Tunis, May 12, 2019 - Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed said Sunday his government would not sign any free-trade agreement with the European Union that conflicts with the interests of the North African country's farmers. Tunisia and the EU are in the final phase...
Egypt: New app tests streaming business in Egypt, challenges old media
Cairo, May 10, 2019 - By Aziz EL MASSASSI - Egypt's first video-streaming app launched this month just in time for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the high season for the television industry, but its debut has been panned by critics for high prices and technical...
Moroccan firms increase trade and investment focus on Africa ($)
Moroccan businesses have been busy working to strengthen their position in the West African market. Among them is the Moroccan firm that dominates the building materials sector in Morocco, the Moroccan-French-Swiss consortium known as LafargeHolcim Maroc Africa (LHMA)...
Energy: Total wants to acquire Anadarko’s Algerian assets ($)
French oil group Total announced this Sunday the signing of an agreement with the American Occidental Petroleum to acquire Anadarko’s assets in Africa, including Algeria, should Occidental Petroleum manages to buy Anadro. The cost of this acquisition would amount to...