Briefs Bound

Morocco: Draft Law 66.23 Deepens Standoff Between Moroccan Lawyers and Government$

Morocco’s courts are facing major delays as a nationwide strike by attorneys over Draft Law 66.23 enters its third week, with lawyers arguing that the proposed overhaul of the legal profession was prepared without adequate consultation and fails to protect defense rights, while the Justice Ministry defends the bill as a necessary modernization of access, training, and client protections.

Read More

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

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.

Read More

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

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.

Read More

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

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.

Read More