Magharebia

Morocco has just been selected as the first country eligible for financial assistance from the US Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) which hopes to elevate the country in the international community.

The Algiers metro, including the first almost ten-kilometre line that will enter service in September 2008, will be fitted with the latest automatic systems. The announcement was made by Siemens-France President Philippe Carli at a contract signing in Algiers.

At the African Union meeting, Algeria signed a non-aggression pact, which is dedicated to peace, security, stability, and co-operation among African nations.

The topic of Euro-Mediterranean dialogue will be the focus of the European Movement International Congress to take place in Algiers 24-26 February. Under the patronage of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the meeting will host around 400 participants from EU countries and Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Libya.

School drop-outs are a major problem for the Algerian government, which is redoubling its efforts to guarantee schooling for all children. In 2005, the school attendance rate reached 94.8 per cent, while the amount of dropouts remained unchanged at 500,000.

Algeria has officially requested a summit of the African Union and the EU to debate all aspects of illegal immigration. The Algeria proposal has been passed by African diplomatic leaders, who are currently meeting in Khartoum at the AU summit.

The Ousratic "PC for Every Family" project is of interest to all participants in the Internet and communication technology sector. With funding of $5m and designed to allow 6m Algerian households to be equipped with a personal computer (PC) by 2010, the operation is a major opportunity for information technology software publishers.

Since his "Baïda" album in 1997, Algerian Faudel (The Little Prince of Raï) has become a major star in the genre in France.

Moroccan women's organizations are calling for a revision of the constitution to encourage political participation among women.

Over the past few weeks, Algerians have been following the lottery results with great interest and hope. Such a large sum of money has never been at stake before. The lucky winner could walk away with a jackpot of around 370m dinars!

Television watching habits in the Maghreb vary greatly. While private channels are now a reality in Tunisia and Morocco, radio and television in Algeria have resisted private sector competition despite loud calls from opposition parties. Nonetheless, television is still the favourite pastime of families.

Dr. Najat M'Jid is a paediatrician and founder of Moroccan association Bayti. She created the association to help the situation of street children in her country.

Tunisia needs to make more efforts to catch up with the per capita income levels of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development emerging countries and significantly reduce unemployment, which is increasingly affecting graduates, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The EU entered an association agreement with Algeria for economic reasons, but also for cultural reasons as evidenced by the first European Film Festival.

Drinking water management for Algiers has been handed over to French firm Suez-Environment via a partnership contract signed with Algerian authorities aimed at guaranteeing daily drinking water for those living in the city.

North African authorities achieved recent successes in their "war on terror" aimed at stopping the spread of radicalism. During the last month, security forces assisted by the United States through the Pan-Sahel initiative dismantled one of the major al-Qaeda cells in the Maghreb.

The fifth Franco-Maghreb Convention, to be held at Palais Brongniart in Paris 1 February, is designed to help France strengthen economic and social ties with North Africa. Various state and political officials and diplomats will have the opportunity to discuss the short-term and long-term future.

No sooner had the lanterns to welcome the universal New Year gone out that certain regions of the Maghreb began to prepare for Amazigh New Year on 12 January. In Morocco and Algeria in particular, the event is celebrated with all the splendour of a tradition anchored in morality.

The Algerian draft law against corruption, which was presented to the Parliament's lower chamber last week, has given rise to a battle between political parties, especially those in the presidential alliance. The draft law was finally adopted, but without the article requiring high state and elected officials to declare their private wealth at the start and end of their terms in office.

The Middle East television landscape is about to change considerably because its current structure may not be viable for the long term, according to a report recently released by Booz Allen Hamilton.

Contrary to some reports, the gas conflict between Russia and the Ukraine is worrying Algerian authorities, who see it as a long-term threat to the stability of the natural gas market, especially for countries which use the gas supply pipelines.

Tourism has returned to the Algerian desert after several years of drought. The beautiful scenery is being enjoyed particularly by foreign tourists and lovers of dunes, vast expanses and trekking.

A week before the festival of Eid al-Adha, preparations are in full swing in Muslim countries. In Algerian cities, market stalls are being stormed by shoppers looking for gifts, mainly for children. In the commercial frenzy, sheep are the most sought-after item.

Created in 1972, and classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1982, Tassili Park, which is utilised as an open-air museum, needs new techniques to preserve its remains.

After coaching the Moroccan national football team for two months, Frenchman Philippe Troussier has ended his employment with the Moroccan Football Federation only three weeks before the finals of the 2006 African Nations Cup in Egypt.

Algerian banks have seen regular financial scandals and withdrawals of approval since the market was opened up to the private sector. According to experts from the World Bank and the IMF, the reforms undertaken by the government have not always succeeded in steering the sector onto the right track.

After a long absence, public telephone booths are returning to Algeria. Orange in colour, they started appearing in November in town centres. Algérie Telecom initiated the project with Mobilink to add diversity to its range of telephone services.