Maghreb Edition
The North Africa Journal – Nov 8, 2018: Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed announced on Monday evening a long-awaited ministerial reshuffle that the President of the Republic did not approve, magnifying the political crisis that has prevented the speedy recovery of Tunisia from its multiple crises. The new cabinet comprises seven members of Nidaa Tounes and as many from Ennahdha, as well as three members of Machrouaa Tounes, two from Al Moubadara, as well as independents.
Morocco is facing its largest wave of unrest in years, with mass protests erupting across major cities demanding better hospitals, schools, and an end to corruption.
Across Sudan, Libya, Yemen, and the Maghreb, the United Arab Emirates is encountering rising diplomatic friction as regional powers push back against policies seen as destabilizing or misaligned with their security interests. The UAE is facing growing tensions involving Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Algeria, while sustained scrutiny over Sudan and Yemen is reshaping perceptions of Emirati influence.
The United States’ decision to designate Muslim Brotherhood chapters in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon as terrorist organizations marks a significant shift in policy, but not the sweeping ban many had anticipated. Rather than targeting the movement as a whole, Washington adopted a selective approach grounded in specific allegations of operational ties to violence, particularly involving Hamas and cross-border militant activity
Egypt’s expanding posture in Somalia and its firm stance on Sudan reveal a coherent security doctrine taking shape along its southern and southeastern perimeter. Cairo is drawing explicit red lines against state collapse, territorial fragmentation, and the emergence of parallel authorities in strategically sensitive areas of the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea basin.
