Reports of a proposed outpost for Moroccan forces in Gaza risk recasting Rabat’s role from humanitarian partner to participant in an Israeli-controlled postwar security order. Morocco has spent years cultivating a distinctive position in the Arab world: a country with...
[pj-news-ticker]
Sudan’s Army Gains Ground in Kordofan as War Strains Power and Food Systems
Sudan’s army is expanding its position in the central part of the country as its civil war against the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, enters another critical phase. Recent fighting in North Kordofan has given the army control of additional territory and key roads,...
Sahel: Niger Emerges as Key Battleground as JNIM and Islamic State Collide
A rival jihadist war may be heating up in the Sahel, and Niger could be the place where the conflict could turn into a major strategic contest. The latest reporting and claims suggest that the rivalry between JNIM, the al-Qaeda-aligned network, and the Islamic State...
Morocco: Rights Group Says it Documented 130 Deaths Among Would-Be Migrants in Morocco-Spain Border Breach Disaster
The official death toll from a mass border crossing into the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta has risen to at least 72, local authorities said Sunday, as Morocco and Spain faced growing pressure to explain how tens of thousands of people managed to force their...
Spies, Lies, and a Border Overrun: Morocco’s Bad Week
Morocco is back in international headlines on two fronts this month: a new investigation into its alleged use of Pegasus spyware, and a migrant surge into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. Both developments draw scrutiny of Morocco from European governments and beyond,...
Egypt’s Summer Blackouts Return as Energy Stress Reappears
Egypt is once again facing a familiar summer energy stress test, with prolonged outages in several governorates underscoring how fragile power reliability remains during peak heat. The latest case shows that, despite official assurances earlier this year that no...
TOP REGIONAL HEADLINES
Gulf War Escalates as Energy Markets Reel and Regional Fronts Multiply
The war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States is expanding across the Middle East, with growing consequences for global energy markets and regional security. Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure have pushed oil prices higher and raised concerns about supply stability. As missile exchanges intensify and fighting spreads to Lebanon, world leaders are scrambling to assess the economic fallout and prevent further escalation.
MAGHREB
Summer in North Africa: Heat, Fire, and Failing Power Grids
North Africa is in the grip of another severe summer heat event, with extreme temperatures, official alerts, and elevated fire risk spanning...
OCP’s Sulfur Shock Exposes the Weak Link in Morocco’s Fertilizer Empire
For years, Morocco’s OCP has been held up as a textbook example of how to turn a raw material endowment into global industrial power. Sitting on the...
Behind the Algeria-Mali Rapprochement: Security, Trade and a Sahel Reorder
For 15 months, Algeria and Mali were locked in a diplomatic standoff that froze airspace, stalled ambassadorial contacts, and deepened mistrust over...
MAGHREB PAGE
SAHEL
Mali’s Jihadist-Separatist Alliance Pushes Toward Anéfis as Fighting Enters Its Sixth Day
A jihadist-separatist alliance has opened a new front in northern Mali, ambushing a Malian-Russian convoy near Anéfis and pushing to seize the...
Mali: Bamako Under Siege
For years, Mali's conflict has been defined by territorial control, military offensives, and shifting alliances among jihadist groups, separatist...
German Think Tank Accuses the UAE of Destabilizing Africa
By Maïssata Koné-Dubois, Mondafrique: In an explosive report, the German think tank Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik accuses Abu Dhabi of being a...
SAHEL PAGE
EGYPT
Egypt Names New Defense Minister in Reshuffle Amid Regional Strain
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi approved a cabinet reshuffle this week that brought in a new defense minister and changed a range of...
Egypt and Turkey Test Pragmatic Rapprochement After Years of Estrangement
After more than a decade of strained relations, Egypt and Turkey are moving toward a pragmatic re-engagement shaped less by reconciliation than by...
Egypt Deepens Defense-Industrial Engagement With China
Egypt is expanding its defense-industrial partnerships with China, with recent developments pointing to a growing emphasis on localized production,...
EGYPT PAGE
FOCAL POINTS
Entrepreneurship: Producing cheese in Algeria
By Abdellah Cheballahb: Sporting a white cap and apron, Rachid Ibersiene bustles around vats at his dairy in Algeria's Atlas Mountains where he has brought the tradition of artisanal cheesemaking back from Switzerland. "We started with a butane gas bottle and stove,"...
Niger: Sahara salt diggers struggle to maintain centuries-old trade
By Camille Laffont: At the edge of an oasis almost engulfed by the dunes, where the rare caravan still passes, is a desert landscape punctured by holes. The salt pans of Kalala, near Bilma in northeastern Niger, were once an essential stop for traders with their...
Podcast: Latest big geopolitical issues affecting North Africa as of 10 June 2023
This podcast focuses on the latest key issues affecting North Africa as of 10 June 2023. NAJ's Editor, Arezki Daoud, shares his views on events in Egypt, Morocco, Libya, Algeria and Tunisia.
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POLITICAL AFFAIRS
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.
MORE ON POLITICS
Mali: After Kidal, The War Comes to Bamako
Mali’s military government is facing one of its most serious crises since taking power. On April 25 and 26, fighters from the Front de libération de...
Gulf War Escalates as Energy Markets Reel and Regional Fronts Multiply
The war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States continues to intensify across multiple fronts, raising concerns about energy supply...
Trump Sends Controversial Envoy to South Africa at a Diplomatic Low Point
The arrival of Leo Brent Bozell III as the new U.S. ambassador to South Africa comes at a moment of visible diplomatic tension between Washington...
Algeria and Niger Relaunch Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline After Diplomatic Freeze
Algeria and Niger have formally reset strained bilateral relations and announced the operational relaunch of the long-delayed Trans-Saharan Gas...
Tunisia: Arrest of Opposition Figure Olfa Hamdi Raises Concerns
A Tunisian civil liberties organization has publicly challenged the Tunisian authorities over the reported detention of opposition politician Olfa...
Algeria and Niger Restore Ties, Signaling a Shift in Sahel Diplomacy
After nearly a year of tensions, Algeria and Niger have formally reset their relationship. On February 12, 2026, both governments announced the...
French Interior Minister Renews Dialogue with Algeria
By Mondafrique: Initially scheduled for December 2025 and postponed a second time in January, the long-awaited visit of the French Interior...
Egypt Names New Defense Minister in Reshuffle Amid Regional Strain
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi approved a cabinet reshuffle this week that brought in a new defense minister and changed a range of...
Morocco Allegations Reignite Spain’s Pegasus Debate
Spanish media commentary on the Pegasus episode involving Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez intensified this week (February 12, 2026), after a detailed...
Egypt and Turkey Test Pragmatic Rapprochement After Years of Estrangement
After more than a decade of strained relations, Egypt and Turkey are moving toward a pragmatic re-engagement shaped less by reconciliation than by...
Morocco Allegations Reignite Spain’s Pegasus Debate
Spanish media commentary on the Pegasus episode involving Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez intensified this week (February 12, 2026), after a detailed...
Egypt and Turkey Test Pragmatic Rapprochement After Years of Estrangement
After more than a decade of strained relations, Egypt and Turkey are moving toward a pragmatic re-engagement shaped less by reconciliation than by...
Egypt Deepens Defense-Industrial Engagement With China
Egypt is expanding its defense-industrial partnerships with China, with recent developments pointing to a growing emphasis on localized production,...
Tunisia Appeals Court Extends Rached Ghannouchi’s Prison Term by 20 Years
A court of appeals in Tunis has sharply increased the prison sentence handed to Rached Ghannouchi, the 84-year-old leader of Tunisia’s Ennahda...
PODCASTS
Pressure mounts in Algeria amid calls for resumption of Hirak | 18 June 2020
COVID-19: The Latest
Egypt inks deal with Chinese Covid vaccine maker to manufacture a billion doses per year
Egypt said Wednesday it plans to manufacture one billion doses a year of China's Sinovac vaccine, claiming it would become the Middle East and Africa's "biggest vaccine producer". Under the deal with the Chinese pharmaceutical company, a factory in Cairo will produce...
Covid-19 in the Maghreb: More restrictions in Morocco, peak infection in Tunisia and panic in Algeria
Coronavirus: Latest global developments Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis: - China outbreak – Millions of people are confined to their homes in China as the country tries to contain its largest outbreak in months with mass testing and travel...
Algeria: Delta variant is driving Covid cases to new records, but fear is accelerating vaccinations
And in the Mideast too The World Health Organization said Thursday the Delta variant has led to a "surge" in coronavirus outbreaks triggering a "fourth wave" in the Eastern Mediterranean region, where vaccination rates remain low. The global health body said the...
SECURITY, DEFENSE & TERRORISM
Sahel: Niger Emerges as Key Battleground as JNIM and Islamic State Collide
A defection, a blood feud, and overlapping territorial ambitions are pushing JNIM and the Islamic State Sahel Province into direct competition across western Niger. The outcome around the region of Dosso could determine whether Sahelian jihadist violence stays fragmented — or consolidates into a wider regional arc.
Mali: After Kidal, The War Comes to Bamako
Mali’s military government is facing one of its most serious crises since taking power. On April 25 and 26, fighters from the Front de libération de...
Mali: Russian-linked Forces Under Drone Pressure in Northern Mali
Russian-linked forces in Mali are increasingly coming under attack from armed groups that are adapting to the drone age. Two recent incidents in the...
Niger Turns to Local Self-Defense Units to Contain Growing Insecurity
Niamey's decision to formalize local self-defense units called Domol Leydi is the latest sign that Niger's security crisis has worsened, moving...
Iran War: How Tehran and Washington Stepped Back From the Brink
Officials in the U.S. learned Monday that Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, had instructed his negotiators to move toward a deal for the...
Gulf War Escalates as Energy Markets Reel and Regional Fronts Multiply
The war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States continues to intensify across multiple fronts, raising concerns about energy supply...
West Africa: Jihadist Attacks Intensify in Northern Benin Amid Cross-Border Insurgency Pressure
Armed attacks attributed to Sahel-based jihadist groups have intensified in northern Benin in recent weeks, highlighting the continued spread of...
Niger: Armed Attacks Target Military Bases in Tahoua
In the early hours of March 9, 2026, armed militants launched coordinated assaults on military facilities in Tahoua, a city in northwestern Niger...
Algeria and Niger Relaunch Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline After Diplomatic Freeze
Algeria and Niger have formally reset strained bilateral relations and announced the operational relaunch of the long-delayed Trans-Saharan Gas...
Algeria and Niger Restore Ties, Signaling a Shift in Sahel Diplomacy
After nearly a year of tensions, Algeria and Niger have formally reset their relationship. On February 12, 2026, both governments announced the...
Nigeria: More than 160 people killed in Muslim communities in Kwara State
Nigeria’s Woro massacre in early February 2026 was a large‑scale attack on two mainly Muslim farming communities that left Muslim and Christian...
Algeria and Niger Restore Ties, Signaling a Shift in Sahel Diplomacy
After nearly a year of tensions, Algeria and Niger have formally reset their relationship. On February 12, 2026, both governments announced the...
Nigeria: More than 160 people killed in Muslim communities in Kwara State
Nigeria’s Woro massacre in early February 2026 was a large‑scale attack on two mainly Muslim farming communities that left Muslim and Christian...
Niger: Roadside Bomb Kills Civilians Near Baroua in Diffa Region
An improvised explosive device struck a mixed transport vehicle near Baroua in Niger’s Diffa region at around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 10,...
Morocco Allegations Reignite Spain’s Pegasus Debate
Spanish media commentary on the Pegasus episode involving Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez intensified this week (February 12, 2026), after a detailed...
SOCIAL, LABOR & THE ENVIRONMENT
Tunisian Women’s Rights Group Warns Early Retirement Proposal Could Undermine Female Labor Participation
A proposed law allowing women in Tunisia’s private sector to retire voluntarily at age 50 has drawn sharp criticism from a leading women’s rights organization. Advocates argue that the measure could undermine female labor participation, limit career advancement, and strain the country’s already fragile social security system.
Morocco Detains Civic Activist Amid Online Speech Concerns
Authorities in Morocco have detained another young activist in what appears to be a developing pattern involving members of the youth movement...
Tunisia: Arrest of Opposition Figure Olfa Hamdi Raises Concerns
A Tunisian civil liberties organization has publicly challenged the Tunisian authorities over the reported detention of opposition politician Olfa...
Tunisian Women’s Rights Group Warns Early Retirement Proposal Could Undermine Female Labor Participation
A new legislative proposal in Tunisia has triggered strong opposition from women’s rights advocates, who argue that the measure risks reinforcing...
Morocco: Employment Gains Concentrate in Urban Centers as Rural Areas Fall Behind
Recent employment data released by High Commission for Planning points to a marked acceleration in job creation in Morocco during 2025. On paper,...
Cyclone Harry’s Hidden Toll: NGOs Fear Up to 1,000 Migrants Lost at Sea
Humanitarian groups say the death toll from January’s Central Mediterranean storms may be far higher than official figures, warning that Cyclone...
Flashpoints: In Southern Chad, A Local Clash Reveals Deeper Fragility
Clashes in southern Chad between government forces and a little‑known rebel movement offer a window into how local conflicts feed into the...
Local Conflicts: State-Imposed Land Pact Struggles to Calm Tensions in Brakna, Mauritania
Authorities in Mauritania’s Brakna region have brokered a fragile peace deal aimed at ending a violent land dispute between neighboring farming...
Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025) in Morocco: Strong Hosting, Weak Crisis Management
Morocco delivered a technically strong Africa Cup of Nations in 2025. Stadiums were modern, logistics mostly worked, and the tournament ran without...
Climate: Severe Winter Rains Shut Down Schools in Northern Morocco This Week
Classes have been suspended across Ksar El Kébir from Monday, February 2 through Saturday, February 7, 2026, after heavy rainfall caused flooding...
Europe’s New Migration Rules Shift Pressure South to North Africa
The European Union’s revised migration framework, set to take effect in mid-2026, is already reshaping how migration is managed across the...
Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025) in Morocco: Strong Hosting, Weak Crisis Management
Morocco delivered a technically strong Africa Cup of Nations in 2025. Stadiums were modern, logistics mostly worked, and the tournament ran without...
Climate: Severe Winter Rains Shut Down Schools in Northern Morocco This Week
Classes have been suspended across Ksar El Kébir from Monday, February 2 through Saturday, February 7, 2026, after heavy rainfall caused flooding...
Europe’s New Migration Rules Shift Pressure South to North Africa
The European Union’s revised migration framework, set to take effect in mid-2026, is already reshaping how migration is managed across the...
Algeria: Supply Disruptions and Rising Food Prices Amid Transport Strike
A nationwide strike by freight transport operators that began last Thursday is increasingly affecting daily life in Algeria. The work stoppage has...
BUSINESS & THE ECONOMY
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.
Egypt Cuts Nighttime Economy to Reduce Electricity Consumption
Responding to a severe energy crisis amplified by the war in Iran, Egypt introduced a nationwide 9 p.m. closing time for shops, restaurants, cafés,...
Global Energy Markets Jolt as Iran War Disrupts Gulf Oil Flows
Saudi Arabia has begun cutting oil output as the escalating U.S. and Israeli war against Iran disrupts shipping across the Gulf region, pushing...
Energy Markets Are Reacting to Iran, But Not Panicking Yet
By Arezki Daoud: This morning, I spent a little more money on gasoline at the pump in Miami, but I admit I expected to pay much more. And so as I...
Morocco’s Deficit Widens in Trade With Turkey
Economic ties between Turkey and Morocco are expanding at an unprecedented pace. Over the past two years, trade flows have accelerated sharply,...
Algeria’s 2,000‑Kilometer Mining Corridor: Rail, Iron Ore, and the Road to the Mediterranean
Algeria has officially opened a new rail line that links the remote southwest to the Mediterranean, a move with important implications for economic...
Algeria Expands Core Infrastructure Investment Across Core Sectors
Algeria is continuing a broad, state-led investment drive focused on basic infrastructure, spanning roads, railways, water systems, energy, mining,...
Morocco’s Lawyers Push Back Against Proposed Changes to Bar Governance
A standoff is emerging between Morocco’s legal profession and the Ministry of Justice over a draft law governing the organization of lawyers,...
Burkina Faso: Deep Supply Weaknesses in Ouagadougou Amid Seasonal Butane Shortages
Gas shortages in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, have become a recurring issue at the end of each year. The problem now appears regularly...
Air Algérie Expands Long-Haul Capacity With Second A330-900neo
Algeria's airline carrier, Air Algérie, has taken delivery of its second Airbus A330-900neo as part of an ongoing fleet renewal program focused on...
Tourists and Egyptians Abroad Support the Egyptian Economy
Egypt has just had a record year for both tourism and remittances, and these two inflows are now some of the biggest sources of foreign currency for...
Algeria: Supply Disruptions and Rising Food Prices Amid Transport Strike
A nationwide strike by freight transport operators that began last Thursday is increasingly affecting daily life in Algeria. The work stoppage has...
Morocco: Financial Authorities Probe Distressed Property Transactions, Money Laundering Concerns Grow
Financial intelligence authorities in Morocco have placed parts of the real estate sector under heightened scrutiny following alerts submitted by...