Morocco’s legal system has been severely disrupted as a nationwide strike by attorneys enters its third week, halting many court proceedings and delaying a large number of criminal trials. The work stoppage has extended pretrial detention for many defendants and added...
Egypt joins China’s tariff-free initiative as Beijing opens its market to nearly all of Africa
China extended zero-tariff access to Egyptian exports. The move is a bilateral milestone, but one that is also part of a far larger continental trade play. From 1 May 2026, Egypt joined a regime under which 53 African countries with diplomatic ties to Beijing can...
While its Minorities are Winning World Cup Games, France is Preparing to Pivot to the Far Right
Polling for the 2027 presidential race now puts Marine Le Pen, the most prominent face of the nationalist Rassemblement National (RN), clearly ahead in the first round, with hard-left firebrand Jean-Luc Mélenchon emerging as one of the strongest contenders to...
Egypt Clears $6.1 Billion Oil and Gas Arrears, Energy Sector Looks to Rebuild Investor Trust
Egypt has cleared roughly 6.1 billion dollars in overdue payments to foreign oil and gas companies, closing a multi‑year backlog that had accumulated during its foreign‑currency crunch and weighed on upstream investment. Officials say the full settlement, completed in...
Algeria’s Northern Grain Farmers Push Back Against the Government’s Saharan Wheat Strategy
Algeria has spent the past several years betting a growing share of its food security on wheat grown deep in the Sahara desert. According to local media, farmers in the country's traditional grain-growing north, however, pushed back publicly against that strategy for...
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 strategic town, while Bamako continues to insist its forces retain control even as fighting has spread to Gao, Sévaré, Konna,...
TOP REGIONAL HEADLINES
Libya Enters 2026 With the Same Political Fragmentation and Sustain Bad Foreign Influence
As Libya approaches 2026, the country remains locked in a prolonged political impasse marked by competing authorities, delayed elections, and sustained foreign involvement. Rival governments and security structures continue to operate in parallel, limiting the ability of Libyan institutions to exercise unified control. Regional and international actors remain deeply embedded in Libya’s political and security environment, shaping outcomes through strategic alliances and informal arrangements. While large-scale conflict has been contained, the absence of a nationally driven political settlement leaves Libya’s sovereignty constrained and its long-term stability uncertain.
MAGHREB
Tunisian Army Denies Rumors of a Power Grab
By Selim Jaziri, Mondafrique: In a brief statement published on May 21, the Ministry of Defense reaffirmed that the army remains neutral and...
Jabaroot, the Telegram Account That Has the Moroccan State on Edge
By Mondafrique - This is a modest Telegram account with no official newsroom, no headquarters, and no spokesperson. Yet every time "Jabaroot"...
Morocco Steps Up Tangier Crackdown on Undocumented Migrants
Moroccan authorities are tightening their grip on irregular migration in and around the northern city of Tangier, stepping up raids and mass arrests...
MAGHREB PAGE
SAHEL
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...
SAHEL PAGE
EGYPT
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...
U.S. Immigration Policy and the Changing Landscape of Africa-U.S. Travel
As the United States prepares to implement a new round of immigration and visa policy changes in 2026, the effects are being felt across Africa and...
North Africa Tests the Limits of Ride-Hailing as Uber Returns Under Tight Control
Morocco is once again testing the boundaries of app-based urban transport, reopening a politically sensitive debate about mobility, labor...
EGYPT PAGE
FOCAL POINTS
Egypt: Archaeologists find human and animal embalming workshops in ancient Egyptian capital city Memphis
Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed two human and animal embalming workshops, as well as two tombs, discovered in the Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo, the government said on Saturday. The vast burial site, at the ancient Egyptian capital Memphis, is a UNESCO...
Egyptians struggle with Cleoptra’s skin color
An Egyptian archaeologist on Wednesday released a documentary on the life of Cleopatra, the same day Netflix began streaming a controversial production depicting the ancient queen as black. For weeks, pundits and officials in Egypt have reacted angrily to streaming...
Podcast: South Africa today: achievements and challenges
In this podcast, Arezki Daoud of MEA Risk and of The North Africa Journal, reports on his thoughts on South Africa, after a 10-day visit in April 2023. Audio only podcast: Youtube video presentation:
POLITICAL AFFAIRS
Morocco Becomes Africa’s Top-Ranked Industrial Economy
Morocco has become Africa’s leading industrial economy, followed by South Africa and Egypt. The African Development Bank (AfDB) ranked Tunisia fourth, reinforcing North Africa’s position as one of the continent’s principal industrial regions. The AfDB’s 2025 Africa Industrialization Index placed Morocco ahead of South Africa as Africa’s highest-ranked industrial economy.
MORE ON POLITICS
Morocco Reassures Public on King Mohammed VI’s Mechanical Lumbosciatica
Morocco’s Royal Palace has confirmed that King Mohammed VI is undergoing treatment for a mechanical lower‑back condition but emphasized that his...
French Law Eases Path to Nuclear Test Compensation for Algerian and Polynesian Victims
France’s National Assembly has unanimously approved a landmark reform that makes it easier for people harmed by its nuclear tests in Polynesia and...
Sudan Conflict: Egypt’s Military Escalation After the Fall of El‑Fasher
Egypt appears to have shifted from diplomatic broker to covert combatant in Sudan’s war, in what may be the center of a widening regional proxy...
UAE Regional Influence Under Strain Amid Sudan, Libya, Yemen, and Maghreb Frictions
Across several regions, the United Arab Emirates is facing visible diplomatic and political friction with key Arab states. The developments span...
Inside the US Decision to Target Specific Muslim Brotherhood Branches
The United States has designated three Muslim Brotherhood chapters as terrorist organizations, targeting branches in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon...
Egypt’s Red Lines in the Horn of Africa Are Becoming Explicit
By Arezki Daoud: Egypt’s recent posture toward Somalia and Sudan reflects a clear strategic doctrine that is no longer implicit. Cairo is signaling...
Flashpoints: How Emirati and Qatari Competition Is Redrawing the Red Sea Map
Charlotte Touati - Mondafrique: Two competing poles are now clearly taking shape in the contest for control over access to the Red Sea. The first,...
Flashpoints: Benin-Niger Tensions Deepen as Diplomatic Relations Deteriorate
Relations between Benin and Niger have entered a new period of strain following reciprocal diplomatic expulsions. In recent days, authorities in...
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...
Nigeria Adjusts Airstrike Strategy Under Expanded U.S. Security Cooperation
Nigeria is adjusting how it conducts air operations against armed groups as part of an updated security arrangement with the United States. Under...
Flashpoints: How Emirati and Qatari Competition Is Redrawing the Red Sea Map
Charlotte Touati - Mondafrique: Two competing poles are now clearly taking shape in the contest for control over access to the Red Sea. The first,...
Flashpoints: Benin-Niger Tensions Deepen as Diplomatic Relations Deteriorate
Relations between Benin and Niger have entered a new period of strain following reciprocal diplomatic expulsions. In recent days, authorities in...
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...
Nigeria Adjusts Airstrike Strategy Under Expanded U.S. Security Cooperation
Nigeria is adjusting how it conducts air operations against armed groups as part of an updated security arrangement with the United States. Under...
PODCASTS
Pressure mounts in Algeria amid calls for resumption of Hirak | 18 June 2020
COVID-19: The Latest
Tunisian government in crisis amid exploding Covid-19 cases
Tunisia's government stumbled deeper into crisis on Wednesday over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, after premier Hichem Mechichi fired the health minister amid skyrocketing cases in the North African country. Mechichi, whose office had announced Faouzi...
Covid-19: Mauritania reinstates new measures to contain coronavirus
Mauritania, concerned over rising Covid-19 infections, has banned mosque prayers over the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha set for Wednesday in the West African country. Prayers will be confined to the home, the government in the conservative Muslim country said in a...
Covid-19: Algeria is confronting a more virulent third wave
The North Africa Journal - Daily confirmed positive cases in Algeria rose sharply on Wednesday, 7 July, crossing the 500-case mark for the first time in weeks, according to the unreliable statistics of the health ministry. It said 585 new cases have been recorded in...
SECURITY, DEFENSE & TERRORISM
Mali: After Kidal, The War Comes to Bamako
Mali’s military government lost Kidal to a joint FLA-JNIM offensive on April 26, 2026, after Russian Africa Corps personnel and Malian troops withdrew under rebel escort. The fall of the city, retaken by Bamako with Russian support in November 2023, exposes the limits of the junta’s sovereignty narrative and raises serious questions about the durability of Mali’s security model.
Sudan Conflict: Egypt’s Military Escalation After the Fall of El‑Fasher
Egypt appears to have shifted from diplomatic broker to covert combatant in Sudan’s war, in what may be the center of a widening regional proxy...
Niger Airport Attack Deepens Sahel’s Security and Diplomatic Strains
An overnight assault on Niger’s main international airport has prompted a partial drawdown of U.S. diplomatic staff from Niamey and renewed scrutiny...
Defense: Mauritania and Spain Use Naval Exercises to Bolster Atlantic Maritime Security
Mauritanian and Spanish naval forces have conducted joint exercises off the coast of Nouadhibou, underscoring a growing security partnership in a...
Egypt’s Red Lines in the Horn of Africa Are Becoming Explicit
By Arezki Daoud: Egypt’s recent posture toward Somalia and Sudan reflects a clear strategic doctrine that is no longer implicit. Cairo is signaling...
Egypt Moves to Shore Up Somalia as Regional Alignments Shift in the Horn of Africa
Cairo has significantly intensified its military involvement in Somalia, driven by mounting anxieties over regional power dynamics in the Horn of...
Mali: Gold Mining Site in Sikasso Region Hit by Armed Group
Armed attackers struck the Morila gold mine in southern Mali during the night of January 4 to January 5, 2026, causing material damage to the site,...
Sahel: Jihadist Attack Kills Local Prefect in Southwestern Niger
A jihadist attack in Niger targeted the residence of the prefect (governor) of Torodi during the night of Sunday, January 4, into Monday, January 5....
Flashpoints: How Emirati and Qatari Competition Is Redrawing the Red Sea Map
Charlotte Touati - Mondafrique: Two competing poles are now clearly taking shape in the contest for control over access to the Red Sea. The first,...
Nigeria Adjusts Airstrike Strategy Under Expanded U.S. Security Cooperation
Nigeria is adjusting how it conducts air operations against armed groups as part of an updated security arrangement with the United States. Under...
How the US Intervention in Venezuela is Reviving Global South Fears of Power Politics
The US raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is resonating across Africa as part of a broader pattern of great‑power behavior that...
Sahel: Jihadist Attack Kills Local Prefect in Southwestern Niger
A jihadist attack in Niger targeted the residence of the prefect (governor) of Torodi during the night of Sunday, January 4, into Monday, January 5....
Flashpoints: How Emirati and Qatari Competition Is Redrawing the Red Sea Map
Charlotte Touati - Mondafrique: Two competing poles are now clearly taking shape in the contest for control over access to the Red Sea. The first,...
Nigeria Adjusts Airstrike Strategy Under Expanded U.S. Security Cooperation
Nigeria is adjusting how it conducts air operations against armed groups as part of an updated security arrangement with the United States. Under...
How the US Intervention in Venezuela is Reviving Global South Fears of Power Politics
The US raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is resonating across Africa as part of a broader pattern of great‑power behavior that...
SOCIAL, LABOR & THE ENVIRONMENT
Morocco: Urban Safety Concerns Grow Amid Deadly Floods and Building Collapse
Deadly flash floods in Safi and the collapse of residential buildings in Fes have killed dozens of people in recent days, intensifying scrutiny of urban safety, infrastructure resilience, and the state’s ability to prevent foreseeable disasters across Morocco.
Tunisia: Leading Labor Union in Turmoil
The possible resignation of Noureddine Tabboubi, the general secretary of the UGTT (Tunisian General Labor Union), is the culmination of a deep...
U.S. Immigration Policy and the Changing Landscape of Africa-U.S. Travel
As the United States prepares to implement a new round of immigration and visa policy changes in 2026, the effects are being felt across Africa and...
Tunis Appeals Court Upholds Prison Sentence Against Opposition Leader Abir Moussi
A Tunis appeals court has upheld a two-year prison sentence against opposition figure Abir Moussi, confirming an earlier ruling linked to charges...
Environment: Algeria’s Race Against a Looming Water Collapse
Algeria is heading toward an acute water crisis, and the clock is ticking much faster than most policymakers admit. The country has already crossed...
Algeria to Introduce Digital Passport Renewal for Citizens Living Abroad
Algerian authorities are preparing to roll out an online passport renewal system for citizens living overseas, with implementation expected before...
Mauritania Arrests Anti‑Corruption Figure Mohamed Ould Gadda
Mauritanian authorities have arrested former senator Mohamed Ould Gadda, now heading the anti‑corruption NGO “Transparence Totale,” in a move that...
Morocco: Urban Safety Concerns Grow Amid Deadly Floods and Building Collapse
Morocco has been experiencing a series of deadly urban disasters in recent days that have intensified scrutiny of housing safety, infrastructure...
Survey on French Muslims Reopens Debate on Religious Practice, Identity, and Interpretation
A recent survey conducted by the French polling institute IFOP has reignited debate about the religious attitudes of Muslims in France and how these...
Algeria Raises Minimum Wage and Jobless Benefits for 2026
Algeria has approved increases to both the national minimum wage and unemployment benefits, starting in 2026, according to Algerian media reports....
Tunisia’s Main Union Calls Nationwide Strike Amid Political Tensions
Tunisia’s main trade union federation has called for a nationwide general strike on January 21, 2026, to protest mounting pressure on critics and to...
Mauritania Arrests Anti‑Corruption Figure Mohamed Ould Gadda
Mauritanian authorities have arrested former senator Mohamed Ould Gadda, now heading the anti‑corruption NGO “Transparence Totale,” in a move that...
Morocco: Urban Safety Concerns Grow Amid Deadly Floods and Building Collapse
Morocco has been experiencing a series of deadly urban disasters in recent days that have intensified scrutiny of housing safety, infrastructure...
Survey on French Muslims Reopens Debate on Religious Practice, Identity, and Interpretation
A recent survey conducted by the French polling institute IFOP has reignited debate about the religious attitudes of Muslims in France and how these...
Algeria Raises Minimum Wage and Jobless Benefits for 2026
Algeria has approved increases to both the national minimum wage and unemployment benefits, starting in 2026, according to Algerian media reports....
BUSINESS & THE ECONOMY
Egypt Cuts Nighttime Economy to Reduce Electricity Consumption
Egypt has imposed a nationwide 9 p.m. curfew on shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues to reduce electricity consumption amid rising energy costs and supply disruptions linked to the war in Iran.
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...
Algeria: Rail, Water, and Transport Drive 2026 Infrastructure Spending
Algeria’s 2026 finance law, officially published in the government gazette on Wednesday and entered into force on January 1, outlines a budget...
North Africa Tests the Limits of Ride-Hailing as Uber Returns Under Tight Control
Morocco is once again testing the boundaries of app-based urban transport, reopening a politically sensitive debate about mobility, labor...
Tunisia Shows Measured Economic Stabilization After Years of Strain
After several years of economic strain, Tunisia showed signs of gradual stabilization over the past 24 months. While the country continues to face...
Egypt Anchors Its Energy Strategy With Long-Term Israeli Gas as Israel Weighs the Trade-Offs
Israel has approved a long-term natural gas export agreement that will channel roughly 131 billion cubic meters of gas from the offshore Leviathan...
Aviation: Ryanair Picks Rabat as New Low-Cost Aviation Hub
Ryanair, Europe’s largest low-cost airline by passenger volume, plans to establish a new operational base at Rabat–Salé Airport starting in April...
Egypt Bets on Upstream Investment to Reverse Gas Production Decline
Egypt is planning a significant expansion of upstream energy activity over the next five years as it seeks to stabilize a decline in natural gas...
Business: As Relations With France Strain, Algeria Broadens Its Grain Suppliers
Algeria has been broadening its wheat supplier base in an effort recalibrate economic ties with France, long Algeria’s dominant cereal supplier....
Algeria’s Parallel Currency Market Surges, Puts Pressure on the Dinar
The euro and the US dollar are trading at record levels on Algeria’s parallel currency market, widening the gap with official rates to more than...

