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...
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 world’s largest phosphate reserves, it has built an integrated fertilizer empire that underpins food production from...
TOP REGIONAL HEADLINES
Egypt’s Debt Diplomacy: How Brussels Became Cairo’s Latest Creditor of Confidence
The EU’s €7.4 billion package to Egypt marks Europe’s largest financial commitment to any non‑EU partner, aimed at stabilizing Cairo’s economy but adding to its already heavy debt load, now nearing 90 percent of GDP. The deal underscores Egypt’s strategic value to Europe amid regional turmoil and migration pressures.
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
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...
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...
SAHEL PAGE
EGYPT
Egypt’s Justice Reform: Promises and Persistent Problems
Egypt amended its criminal procedure code in November 2025, rolling out changes framed by officials as efforts to “modernize” the justice system and...
Egypt Pegs its Power Supply to New Israeli Gas Imports
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week referred in court to a “historic” natural gas deal with Egypt, according to reporting from...
Egypt’s Debt Diplomacy: How Brussels Became Cairo’s Latest Creditor of Confidence
When European and Egyptian leaders convened in Brussels for their first‑ever EU–Egypt Summit on 22 October 2025, the event signaled Europe’s...
EGYPT PAGE
FOCAL POINTS
Security: Escalation of Russia-Ukraine war could transform crisis into global conflict
By Amélie Bottolier-Depois: UN chief Antonio Guterres warned nations Monday that he fears the likelihood of further escalation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict means the world is heading towards a "wider war." The secretary-general laid out his priorities for the year...
Egypt: Archaeologists announce discovery of 1,800-year-old Roman city
Egyptian archaeologists said Tuesday they had discovered an 1,800-year-old "complete residential city from the Roman-era" in the heart of the southern city of Luxor. The city, dating to the second and third centuries, is the "oldest and most important city found on...
Health: World Health Organization concerned about unprecedented number “intersecting health emergencies,” appeals for money
The World Health Organization on Monday appealed for $2.54 billion for its work in 2023 to help millions of people facing health emergencies around the world. The UN health agency said that it was currently responding to an unprecedented number of intersecting health...
POLITICAL AFFAIRS
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.
MORE ON POLITICS
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...
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...
Libya Enters 2026 With the Same Political Fragmentation and Sustain Bad Foreign Influence
As Libya enters 2026, the country remains caught in the same prolonged state of political suspension, where formal sovereignty exists on paper but...
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...
The UAE’s Growing Role in African Conflict Zones
Saudi–Emirati tensions over Yemen open a wider question: to what extent is the UAE using proxy actors, media leverage, and selective alliances to...
Nigeria’s Conflict Goes Global With Washington Entering the Fight
The United States’ Christmas Day airstrikes in northwestern Nigeria mark a rare but consequential shift in the internationalization of Nigeria’s...
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...
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...
Libya Enters 2026 With the Same Political Fragmentation and Sustain Bad Foreign Influence
As Libya enters 2026, the country remains caught in the same prolonged state of political suspension, where formal sovereignty exists on paper but...
PODCASTS
Pressure mounts in Algeria amid calls for resumption of Hirak | 18 June 2020
COVID-19: The Latest
Covid-19: Libya gets first batch of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine
Libya's interim prime minister on Sunday announced the arrival of the first batch of vaccines against Covid-19, as the war-torn country's crumbling health system struggles against a mounting caseload. "Thanks to God, we have managed to import the first batch of...
Covid-19 in Algeria: Coping with the pandemic inside a Blida hospital
At a hospital near the Algerian capital, staff say they are "on the verge of burnout" more than a year on from the facility's first coronavirus-related admissions. Blida province has been one of the epicentres of Algeria's novel coronavirus outbreak, and was the site...
Tunisia: Russia to deliver first batch of 30K Sputnik V doses to Tunisia
Tunisia said Monday the first coronavirus vaccines were set to arrive to start mass inoculation in the North African nation using Russia's Sputnik V jabs. An initial 30,000 doses are due to arrive Tuesday from Russia, followed by 500,000 doses "in coming weeks", a...
SECURITY, DEFENSE & TERRORISM
Tunisian Army Denies Rumors of a Power Grab
Tunisia’s military has publicly reaffirmed its neutrality amid growing political tensions and speculation about its role in the country’s future. The rare statement from the Ministry of Defense comes as Tunisia faces mounting economic, political, and institutional pressures, raising questions about the military’s relationship with President Kais Saied and its role in preserving state stability.
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...
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,...
Sahel: Foreign Workers Targeted in New Mali Kidnappings
A series of recent kidnappings in western and northern Mali have reinforced growing concerns for foreign workers and business interests operating in...
Crisis in Sudan: Meet the Ruthless Warlord Hemedti
Libya has Khalifa Haftar, Sudan has its own ruthless warlord, Mohamed Hamdan Dagolo—better known as Hemedti. Like Haftar, Hemedti rose to power...
French Nationals Urged to Leave Mali as Insurgent Attacks Intensify in the Sahel
Faced with a surge of Islamist insurgency and increased boldness, the Defense Ministers of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger met on November 7 in Niamey...
Mali’s Energy Collapse Deepens as Fuel Blockade and Infrastructure Decay Converge
Mali’s capital has grown quieter in the dark. Across Bamako and beyond, entire neighborhoods now spend long nights without electricity, while...
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...
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,...
Sahel: Foreign Workers Targeted in New Mali Kidnappings
A series of recent kidnappings in western and northern Mali have reinforced growing concerns for foreign workers and business interests operating in...
SOCIAL, LABOR & THE ENVIRONMENT
Morocco’s Youth Protests Regain Momentum, Calls for Reform Ahead of 2025 Africa Cup
As of Sunday, October 19, protests led by the youth collective GenZ212 continued across multiple Moroccan cities, demanding better healthcare, education, and accountability in public spending ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. While authorities have tightened restrictions and detained over 600 participants, demonstrations have regained strength following a temporary pause, revealing deep frustration with inequality, corruption, and government priorities.
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...
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...
Mauritanian Police Detain Anti-Slavery Activist After Advocacy Event
Warda Ahmed Souleymane, a prominent member of Mauritania’s abolitionist movement, was detained by police in Nouakchott on October 31, 2025, soon...
Algerian Lawmakers Consider Stripping Citizenship from Nationals Abroad
A plan resurfacing in Algeria’s parliament would allow authorities to strip citizenship from Algerians who commit acts abroad deemed seriously...
Tunisia: Pollution Uprising in Gabès Turning Into Sustained Protest Movement
MondAfrique: Gabès' fight against pollution has reached historic levels, turning into a sustained protest movement with possible national...
Sahel: Fuel Blockade in Mali Brings Daily Life to a Standstill
By MondAfrique: Mali is in the grip of an unprecedented fuel crisis—a crisis now spilling into Senegal. The vital Dakar-Bamako supply route is...
Morocco’s Youth Protests Regain Momentum, Calls for Reform Ahead of 2025 Africa Cup
Morocco’s youth-led protest movement, GenZ212, returned to the streets on Saturday, October 18, after a short pause, confirming growing frustration...
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...
Mauritanian Police Detain Anti-Slavery Activist After Advocacy Event
Warda Ahmed Souleymane, a prominent member of Mauritania’s abolitionist movement, was detained by police in Nouakchott on October 31, 2025, soon...
BUSINESS & THE ECONOMY
Global Energy Markets Jolt as Iran War Disrupts Gulf Oil Flows
Oil prices surged toward $119 per barrel as the conflict involving Iran disrupted tanker traffic through the Persian Gulf, forcing several Gulf producers to reduce output and pushing governments to consider emergency energy measures. Saudi Arabia joined Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE in cutting production as shipments stalled and storage capacity tightened. With hundreds of tankers idling near the Strait of Hormuz and major shipping insurers suspending coverage, the crisis is rapidly evolving from a regional military conflict into a global energy shock.
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...
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,...
Morocco: Drought Pressure Threatens 2025-26 Farming Season
Morocco's 2025-26 agricultural season faces mounting difficulties due to sustained drought and diminishing water resources. Despite temporary...
Tunisia: Economic Pressures Erode Household Purchasing Power
A recent Fitch Solutions report, “Consumption and Household Income in Tunisia,” published October 22, 2025, finds that Tunisia’s average household...
Egypt Pegs its Power Supply to New Israeli Gas Imports
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week referred in court to a “historic” natural gas deal with Egypt, according to reporting from...
Sahel: Fuel Blockade in Mali Brings Daily Life to a Standstill
By MondAfrique: Mali is in the grip of an unprecedented fuel crisis—a crisis now spilling into Senegal. The vital Dakar-Bamako supply route is...

