North Africa’s Economy
Instability in North Africa and Sahel claims over 8,500 deaths in 2016. MEA Risk expects 2017 to be another crisis year
Miami, FL – MEA Risk LLC - The North Africa and Sahel zone witnessed a 16.0% increase in the number of destabilizing critical incidents in 2016 to a total of 11,916, according to MEA Risk LLC. Despite such increase, MEA Risk’s Instability Index, measuring the crisis...
China to strengthen economic presence in Africa, seeks to widen political influence
January 2017: Last month, China flexed its muscles against Nigeria when the West African country agreed to upgrade the second-tier Taiwanese diplomatic mission based in Abuja to full embassy status. Beijing did not like the move and has been threatening Nigeria to...
Algerian authorities confronted with localized labor unrest, escalation in 2017
While the Algerian authorities continue to focus a great deal of attention and resources on preventing attacks from Islamic militant groups, the erosion in state revenues is forcing them to push for new austerity measures that are creating a lot of tension nationwide....
More Belt-Tightening Ahead for Algeria
The North Africa Journa: October 2, 2016: Algeria continues to seek cost containment measures, with growing expectation of fuel price increases in 2017 aimed at reducing the projected budget deficit of $2.6 billion. There is also pressure on the government to freeze...
Tunisia in Retrospect and the Tough Choices Ahead
In one year, Tunisia has been tormented by no less than five large scale, dramatic terrorist attacks all perpetrated by the Islamic State. It all started on March 18, 2015, the day that two « lone wolves » stormed the Bardo museum of Tunis and opened fire on a group...
BP and Statoil Reducing their Staffs in Algeria: Consequences on Business Continuity
Although the recent terror attempt on an Algerian gas site, signed by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) caused no physical damage, it has had without any doubt some psychological impact on jittery companies and on authorities scrambling to secure the area....
With Peugeot-Citroen Joining Renault, Oran becomes the Capital of Algeria’s Car Assembly Business
Although the companies have not made a formal announcement yet, the Wali (governor) of Oran in western Algeria says his province will be home of a new Peugeot-Citroën auto assembly plant. The plant is even scheduled to be located the municipality of el-Hamou. If the...
Insurance firm Zurich exiting the Moroccan market
Swiss insurance firm Zurich Insurance is considering exiting the Moroccan and South African markets amid a deteriorating business environment. The company is reportedly unable to generate profits from these units, and a substantial erosion of its global business...
Tunisia’s Crises
Tunisia is facing a multi-faceted crisis, top of which is the ongoing unemployment protests that highlight the weakening of the Tunisian economic system and the eroding social safety nets. MEA Risk data for the period of February 01, 2016 to February 07, 2016, shows...
Oil prices & the impact on Sovereign Wealth Funds Libya as a case
By Omar Khattaly: The drop in oil prices in the last 12 months has taken markets and investors by surprise. State institutions such as Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWF) have been affected and state budgets have suffered. SWF will grow slowly and in many cases will see some...