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,...
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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...
Algeria is Experiencing a Severe Wildfire Crisis
Algeria is confronting one of its most severe wildfire crises in years as an intense heat wave, which began on July 8, has fueled large-scale fires across much of the country’s north. The blazes have spread across a wide geographic area and have continued for an...
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 Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya. This is a regional weather pattern, driven by a strong high-pressure system...
The Nigeria Precedent: Why Degrading One Group Won’t Secure Mali
Since late December 2025, US Africa Command has been conducting airstrikes in northern Nigeria alongside the Nigerian military, targeting ISWAP and Boko Haram fighters. The campaign escalated in May 2026 into a joint offensive combining special forces raids with...
Sahel: How Gold and Jihadist Violence Are Redrawing the Guinea-Mali Border
Along the border between Guinea and Mali, two forces are reshaping the landscape: armed jihadist groups pushing south from the Sahel, and a rapidly expanding gold economy that reaches from small riverside pits to industrial mines. Together, they are transforming...
TOP REGIONAL HEADLINES
Morocco: Forces Drive Morocco’s 2026 Budget: Security Recruitment Leads Job Creation Push
Morocco’s 2026 Finance Bill expands state hiring across security, health, and education, creating 36,000 new public positions—mainly in the Interior and Defense Ministries—but the scale underscores political rather than economic priorities, in a country where unemployment hovers near 13 percent and youth joblessness exceeds a third of the labor force.
MAGHREB
Moroccan Lawyers Stage Open Sit‑In Over Draft Law Reshaping Their Profession
Moroccan bar associations have opened a prolonged dispute with the Justice Ministry over a draft bill that would overhaul rules governing the legal...
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...
Algerian Gas Exports to Europe Rise for Fourth Consecutive Month
Algeria increased natural gas exports to Europe during the first four months of 2026, reinforcing its position as one of the continent's leading...
MAGHREB PAGE
SAHEL
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,...
SAHEL PAGE
EGYPT
Migration: 17 Migrants, Mostly Egyptians, Lost at Sea on the Road to Greece
Fourteen Egyptians have been confirmed dead after an irregular migrant boat capsized on the way to Greece, the latest in a long line of disasters on...
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...
Washington Initiates Review Process for Possible Terrorism Designations of Muslim Brotherhood Branches
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on 23 November 2025 that his administration has initiated a formal review to determine whether certain...
EGYPT PAGE
FOCAL POINTS
Sahel: The sad plight of children in the Sahel’s conflict zones
By Amaury Hauchard: After fleeing the jihadists who threatened their remote village, Aichata Hassan had no idea that another mighty challenge lay ahead: proving to the authorities that her 12-year-old daughter existed. Like countless other children in Niger, Nadia has...
Construction of a Morocco-Spain tunnel under consideration but challenges abound
By Valentin Bontemps: In limbo for years, plans for a tunnel linking Spain and Morocco have been officially revived by Madrid and Rabat although the dream of an underwater rail link faces multiple obstacles. What is the project? The idea was first raised in 1979 by...
Devastation in Turkey and Syria: Death toll from quakes nears 8,000, figure likely to increase sharply
By Remi Banet with Youssef Karwashan in Aleppo: Rescuers in Turkey and Syria battled bitter cold Tuesday in a race against time to find survivors under buildings flattened by an earthquake that killed more than 7,800 people. The latest toll showed 5,894 people killed...
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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
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...
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...
Burkina Faso Faces New Security Tensions Amid Coup Allegations
Burkina Faso experienced a sudden spike in political and security tension overnight in early January, with coordinated public mobilizations in...
Libya: Turkey is Here to Stay, Abandons Exit Strategy
Turkey's parliament has approved a 24-month extension of its military deployment in Libya, running through early 2028. The decision, while...
Nigeria: Questions Mount Over U.S. Airstrikes in Northern Nigeria
By Leslie Varenne, MondAfrique: The American strikes carried out in Nigeria on Christmas Day raise serious questions. Beyond the confusion...
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...
Libya: Protesters Gather at UN Mission in Janzour Demanding Accelerated Elections, Warning of National Collapse
Dozens of demonstrators assembled outside the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) headquarters in Janzour on January 2, 2026,...
Rights Groups Warn of Widening Restrictions on Freedoms in Tunisia
The Tunisian League for Human Rights has issued a stark assessment of the country’s political and civil trajectory, warning of a sustained...
Burkina Faso Faces New Security Tensions Amid Coup Allegations
Burkina Faso experienced a sudden spike in political and security tension overnight in early January, with coordinated public mobilizations in...
Libya: Turkey is Here to Stay, Abandons Exit Strategy
Turkey's parliament has approved a 24-month extension of its military deployment in Libya, running through early 2028. The decision, while...
Nigeria: Questions Mount Over U.S. Airstrikes in Northern Nigeria
By Leslie Varenne, MondAfrique: The American strikes carried out in Nigeria on Christmas Day raise serious questions. Beyond the confusion...
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...
PODCASTS
Pressure mounts in Algeria amid calls for resumption of Hirak | 18 June 2020
COVID-19: The Latest
Egypt cancels religious events amid resurgence of Covid epidemic
Egypt on Wednesday announced a partial shutdown of malls and restaurants and called off festivities for the Muslim holidays of Eid al-Fitr to curb rising coronavirus cases. The closure of cafes, malls and restaurants from 9 pm will take effect from Thursday until May...
MENA region more vulnerable to Covid-19 with the start of Ramadan
The World Health Organization expressed concern Wednesday that the Covid-19 pandemic could worsen in the Middle East and North Africa during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Detected cases of Covid infection in the region rose 22% last week, while deaths rose 17%,...
Covid-19: France and Spain evacuate their citizens from Morocco
Spain and France are chartering planes and ferries to bring home thousands of their nationals stranded in Morocco because of the pandemic, their embassies said on Twitter. Rabat last week decided to suspend all passenger flights to and from the two European countries...
SECURITY, DEFENSE & TERRORISM
German Think Tank Accuses the UAE of Destabilizing Africa
A report published by Germany’s Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik accuses the United Arab Emirates of playing a destabilizing role in several African conflicts through support for armed groups, logistical networks, and regional interventions. The report focuses particularly on Sudan, Libya, the Horn of Africa, and Yemen, while also criticizing Western governments for avoiding direct public criticism of Abu Dhabi.
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...
Burkina Faso Faces New Security Tensions Amid Coup Allegations
Burkina Faso experienced a sudden spike in political and security tension overnight in early January, with coordinated public mobilizations in...
Sahel: Rising Attacks on Military and Economic Targets Deepen Mali’s Instability
As the year closes, Mali’s security environment shows no sign of improvement , marked by coordinated jihadist operations, persistent pressure on...
Sahel: Violence in Northern Mali Drives New Wave of Displacement Into Mauritania
More than 3,300 people have fled northern Mali over the past month, crossing into Mauritania to escape escalating violence and severe disruptions to...
Sahel: French Special Forces Accused of Direct Role in Benin Coup Response
A recent account by the head of Benin’s Republican Guard alleged that France played a role in an attempted coup in Benin, triggering a legal and...
Niger Moves Uranium From SOMAÏR Mine Despite Arbitration Ruling
Niger’s decision to move uranium from a disputed mine in the country’s north is deepening its confrontation with French nuclear group Orano and...
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...
Burkina Faso Faces New Security Tensions Amid Coup Allegations
Burkina Faso experienced a sudden spike in political and security tension overnight in early January, with coordinated public mobilizations in...
Sahel: Rising Attacks on Military and Economic Targets Deepen Mali’s Instability
As the year closes, Mali’s security environment shows no sign of improvement , marked by coordinated jihadist operations, persistent pressure on...
Sahel: Violence in Northern Mali Drives New Wave of Displacement Into Mauritania
More than 3,300 people have fled northern Mali over the past month, crossing into Mauritania to escape escalating violence and severe disruptions to...
SOCIAL, LABOR & THE ENVIRONMENT
Tunisia: Pollution Uprising in Gabès Turning Into Sustained Protest Movement
Tens of thousands have taken to the streets of Gabès, Tunisia, demanding the shutdown of a polluting chemical complex and drawing national attention to public health, broken government promises, and the urgency of real change. As the crisis escalates, Gabès is testing Tunisia’s ability to respond to grassroots mobilization against environmental and political neglect.
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...
Morocco’s Influencers Face Rising Legal Risks
Morocco’s courts are handling a growing number of cases involving high‑profile social media creators, signaling a pivot toward tighter control of...
Mauritania Confronts Concentrated Desert Locust Outbreak With Regional Spillover Risk
Mauritania is facing a concentrated desert locust outbreak in several western and northern regions, prompting intensified surveillance and control...
Mauritania: New Rescue Off Nouadhibou as Regional Migration Pressures Intensify
Mauritanian authorities and local rescue teams recovered a pirogue carrying 156 migrants on Monday off the coast of Nouadhibou, ending a ten-day...
Sahel: Community Mourns Mariam Cissé, Killed by Militants in Northern Mali
Mariam Cissé, a well-known content creator from the town of Tonka in northern Mali, was abducted on November 6, 2025, at a weekly fair in Echel,...
Morocco: Two Years After the High Atlas Mountains’ Earthquake, Recovery Remains Uneven
In September 2023, a powerful earthquake struck Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains, killing nearly 3,000 people and destroying much of the rural...
Algeria: Salima Melizi’s Case Highlights Algeria’s Cultural Tensions
The arrest and release of Salima Melizi, an Algerian writer and publisher known for her independent voice, has generated significant concern within...
Morocco’s Influencers Face Rising Legal Risks
Morocco’s courts are handling a growing number of cases involving high‑profile social media creators, signaling a pivot toward tighter control of...
Moroccan Streamer Ilyas El Maliki Arrested Again
Moroccan online streamer Ilyas El Maliki was detained on the evening of Monday, 25 November 2025 in the coastal city of El Jadida, police sources...
Mauritania Confronts Concentrated Desert Locust Outbreak With Regional Spillover Risk
Mauritania is facing a concentrated desert locust outbreak in several western and northern regions, prompting intensified surveillance and control...
Mauritania: New Rescue Off Nouadhibou as Regional Migration Pressures Intensify
Mauritanian authorities and local rescue teams recovered a pirogue carrying 156 migrants on Monday off the coast of Nouadhibou, ending a ten-day...
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.
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...
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...
Business: Chinese Logistics Platform Scouts Tunisia As Africa Gateway
Wuhan Yangluo Port Services, a Chinese state-linked entity active across trade, logistics, finance, and investment, has dispatched a delegation to...
EU–Morocco Tomato Dispute Deepens Over Western Sahara Labeling
Allegations of unfair competition and labeling disputes are straining relations between Morocco and the European Union over tomato exports,...
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....
Algeria Rolls Out 5G Network with Six-Year Expansion Plan
Algeria has activated its 5G mobile network, with the formal launch occurring on December 3rd in Algiers. The country's three major...
Algeria: 25 Executives Charged in Alleged Metals Fraud
A high-profile corruption trial involving Algeria’s state-owned metals conglomerate Imetal is set to begin on November 24 before the economic and...
Tunisia: Wage Dispute Triggers Widespread Bank Shutdowns in Tunisia
Thousands of employees in Tunisia’s banking, financial, and insurance sectors observed a remote strike on Monday and Tuesday, November 3–4, 2025,...