Political Risk

In late April UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan presented his latest report on the Western Sahara question. In it, Annan effectively buried the plans for an eventual referendum on independence... 2006-05-08

Yet another landmark in Libya's ongoing international rehabilitation was marked by the resumption of cover by US Eximbank on March 23, which extends export credit guarantees for US... 2006-04-04

Morocco has kicked off its attempt to seize the initiative on the Western Sahara question. In mid-March King Mohammed VI gave a speech in the Western Saharan capital of Laayoune proposing... 2006-04-04

Timed with the country's 50th year of independence celebrations, President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali announced the most dramatic prisoner release on the weekend of February 25-26. More... 2006-03-06

In the light of concern at recent electoral gains and victories for Islamists in the Middle East such as Hamas's victory in the Palestinian Legislative Council elections,

It is too early to speak of a Tripoli Spring, but real signs of progress on political reform and liberalisation are accompanying Libya's emergence from international isolation. The... 2006-02-03

Libya has made a strong start to 2006, with the Oasis group of US oil companies returning to the Waha oil and gas concessions relinquished 20 years ago. This following hard on the... 2006-01-13

Political activity ground to a halt in December as the country fretted about the health of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the man who many Algerians credit with finally ending the... 2006-01-10

The closing months of 2005 saw a flurry of political realignment with the merger of several small parties, the revival of the historic alliance between the two largest parliamentary... 2006-01-10

Security remains a concern in Morocco following the apparent discovery of a major terrorist threat and the arrest of a gang accused of conspiring to establish a new al-Qa’ida linked... 2005-12-01