[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on the Maghreb and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Maghreb Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to maghreb@jadaliyya.com]
Algeria
Algeria agrees to take Syrians trapped near Morocco border 41 Syrian refugees, including women and children, have been trapped in a desert area since mid-April amid a diplomatic spat between Morocco and Algeria.
Algeria calls on Arab states to resolve differences by dialogue Algeria made an official statement about the recent Qatar crisis by advocating for dialogue and unity between Arab states.
بن فليس للجزيرة نت: الجزائر تعيش انفلاتا مؤسساتيا Former head of government Ali Benflis sees the formation of the new government as evidence of its unconstitutionality.
مسرحية "بابور غرق" لسليمان بن عيسى تعود الى خشبة المسرح الوطني الجزائري The play Babor Ghraq by Slimane Benaissa returns to the Algerian national stage.
Préservation des mers et des ressources maritimes: L`Algérie prend huit engagements volontaires During the UN Ocean Conference, Algeria made 8 voluntary commitments for the management and preservation of seas.
Archives détenues par l`Etat français: reprise des discussions entre l`Algérie et la France début septembre Negotiations between Algeria and France over archives during the colonial period will resume in September 2017.
Libya
Libya`s eastern-based government cuts diplomatic relations with Qatar The Haftar aligned government based in eastern Libya has followed its regional allies, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, in cutting diplomatic ties with Qatar.
Singing for Libya – in the Cabaret A nightclub in Tunis becomes the scene of a money throwing competition through which Libyans express political loyalties.
أزعجتها الضربات المصرية.. الغارات على ليبيا تشعل خلافاً بين الجزائر والقاهرة.. ولقاءٌ مرتقب لمسؤولي البلدين Egyptian air attacks against ISIS targets in Libya have Algerian leaders troubled by Egypt’s military influence in the region.
انطلاق الموسم الثقافي الرمضاني ببنغازي Benghazi kicks off the Ramadan cultural season with an evening of poetry readings.
Libye: un groupe armé dit avoir libéré Seïf al-Islam al-Kadhafi An armed group from Zintan just freed Muammar Gaddafi’s son, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.
Libye: Les Emirats brisent un embargo sur les armes au profit du maréchal Haftar The UAE broke a UN embargo by providing weaponry to the Libyan National Army.
Mauritania
Mauritania: Japan Contributes U.S.$6 Million to Assist Local Communities and Malian Refugees in Southern-Eastern Mauritania Japanese funding will support the protection of refugees, camp management, and the provision of services in the Mbera camp, which was established in response to the Northern Mali Conflict.
Mauritania breaks diplomatic ties with Qatar Mauritania took a stand in the Gulf crisis by cutting its diplomatic relations with Qatar.
موريتانيا تشارك في وساطة أفريقية في ليبيا Mauritania’s minister of foreign affairs took part in a high level African Union mission to Libya.
موريتانيا: تنديد بتصريحات الناطق الحكومي حول حقوق السجناء السلفيين Mauritanian political and human rights bodies condemned the Minister of Culture’s comments about Salafi prisoners.
Report du référendum constitutionnel au 5 Août 2017 The Mauritanian government postponed to August 2017 a contentious referendum over constitutional amendments, which would abolish the Senate and change national symbols.
CEDAO: feu vert pour le Maroc, la Mauritanie recalée ECOWAS asks Mauritania to submit a new application for admission.
Morocco
A New Rif Revolt? In a Diwan interview, Carnegie’s Intissar Fakir discusses unrest in Morocco’s northern Rif region.
Marrakech`s historic booksellers once again face eviction A city revival project slated to happen in Marrakech will move historical booksellers for the sixth time in 40 years.
Oldest Fossils of Homo Sapiens Found in Morocco, Altering History of Our Species Fossils found from Jebel Irhoud in Morocco show that mankind evolved earlier than previously known.
ارتفاع مهم لصادرات المغرب نحو إسبانيا Morocco`s exports to Spain increased by 25.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2017 compared to the same period last year.
انتخاب المغرب نائبا لرئيس الجمعية العامة للأمم المتحدة Morocco elected Vice President of the UN General Assembly.
Le hirak ou la révolte dans le Rif Historian Maati Monjib offers a comprehensive analysis of the current al-Hoceima social and political revolt, which has led to a political stalemate in Morocco and has echoed concerns shared by the rest of the country.
Tunisia
Tataouine: Tunisia`s jobless search for answers after deadly protest Clashes erupted outside the Tataouine governor’s office after residents staged a protest to support the El Kamour sit-in blocking access to an oil and gas pumping station.
Tunisia joins boycott of Wonder Woman Tunisia banned the movie Wonder Woman in protest against the Israeli actress Gal Gadot’s role.
تونس: جدل واسع بشأن حرية الإفطار العلني في شهر رمضان Tunisia has no specific law banning eating in public during Ramadan, a controversy which resurfaces each year.
800 ألف أسرة تونسية من مجموع 2.7 مليون متحصلة على قرض بنكي The number of bank loans granted to Tunisian families has doubled since 2010.
En Tunisie, le passé est un enjeu d`avenir The Bourguiba era and the revolutionary period constitute the two competing national narratives of the current political transition.
Tunisie: un mois de prison pour avoir mangé en public lors du Ramadan The Bizerte court jailed 4 Tunisians for eating and smoking in public during Ramadan.
Western Sahara
President of Republic received by President of National Assembly of People`s Power of Cuba During a meeting with Brahim Ghali, Cuban politicia Esteban Lazo reaffirmed the historical relations between the Sahrawi Republic and the Republic of Cuba.
Sahara: Former German president to be named UN envoy to Western Sahara As the new UN special envoy to Western Sahara, Horst Kohler will be tasked to restart peace talks between the Polisario Front and Morocco.
الأمين العام للأمم المتحدة يبدي القلق إزاء وضع عشرات آلاف اللاجئين الصحراويين في مخيمات اللاجئين UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterich expressed deep concern over the plight of tens of thousands of Sahrawi refugees whose food rations will be reduced due to lack of funding.
اسبانيا: المطالبة باحترام قرار محكمة العدل الأوروبية حول الصحراء الغربية The government of Salamanca has demanded respect for the European Court of Justice ruling that EU-Morocco trade agreements do not apply to Western Sahara.
Paloma Lopez avertit l`UE des conséquences de la poursuite du pillage des ressources naturelles au Sahara Occidental The European deputy Paloma Lopez asks EU-member states, specifically Spain, to prevent illegal exploitation of natural resources in Western Sahara.
Un député et avocat koweïtien dénonce les intimidations subies par des militantes sahraouies de la part du Maroc Kuwaiti lawyer and deputy Hamid Dechti denounces the intimidation experienced by Sahraoui activists during a UN conference about Human Rights and the Western Sahara issue.
Recent Articles on Jadaliyya
Morocco`s Hirak Movement: The People Versus the Makhzen Fatim-Zohra El Malki discusses the state’s reaction to an expanding protest movement in Morocco.
Corruption and Reform in Tunisia: The Dangers of an Elitist Analysis Max Gallien and Mohamed Dia Hammami offer a critique of the International Crisis Group report about protests in Southern Tunisia. Authors argue that the current unrest is not a conflict between elites, but a result of the lack of comprehensive development strategy for the South and the need for educational and economic reforms.
Political Parties, Elections, and the Illusion of Opposition in Morocco Anna Jacobs analyzes the role of the Morocco’s multiparty system and highlights the use of co-optation to consolidate the power of the Makhzen.
هنا تونس… قطار الثورة خرج عن السكة Tunisian journalist Mabrouka Kathir assesses the situation in Tunisia since the revolution, commenting in particular on the threat of corruption and the lack of cultural mobility.
Between the World and Algeria: International Histories of the Algerian War of Independence Arthur Asseraf engages in scholarly debates about Algeria’s historiography and explores new research perspectives that connect Algeria’s history to regional and international contexts.
New Texts Out Now: Henri Lauzière, The Making of Salafism: Islamic Reform in the Twentieth Century Jadaliyya interviews Henri Lauzière about his new book that traces transformations within the history of Salafism and grapples with the different narratives that have emerged overtime. The connecting thread of the book is Moroccan scholar Taqi al-Din al-hilali (1894-1987), whose intellectual journey brought him into contact with other “Salafi” scholars and activists.