North Africa’s Economy
Labor Unions: Localized and segmented unions in North Africa seek better coordination
The North Africa Journal - Feb 21, 2017: Labor protests have been a major source of the heightened level of social unrest across the region. This past week saw its share of trade union unrest, largely driven by a labor sector that has regulations largely seen as...
Saudi Arabia-Tunisia: New honeymoon period in an uncharted territory
The North Africa Journal: Saudi Arabia is known for its efforts of pushing for its extreme Wahhabi agenda in North Africa and elsewhere. And after a brief intermission, Saudi Arabia is back in Tunisia, with the little help from its friends within the region. Saudi...
Outlook: Yet another cycle of uncertainty for the region
As the armed forces and security services manage to control, to a certain extent, the terror threat, the Greater North Africa region is facing unprecedented political tension, social stress and economic despair. Data for all countries in the North Africa zone,...
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...