For all their differences, the rulers of the two big Maghreb neighbours share some important traits. They fear Islamist revolutionaries and are offering a small share of power...

The big winner in the 14 November general election was Interior Minister Driss Basri. Following some way behind were the biggest opposition party, the Union Socialiste des Forces...

p>President Nelson Mandela's 50-vehicle motorcade on its long journey from southern Tunisia to Tripoli (to avoid United Nations' flight sanctions) had Colonel Moammar el Gadaffi beaming. So did...

Ibrahim el Bishari, until recently Libya's Arab League Ambassador, died in a car crash on 13 September. This was barely two weeks after Colonel Moammar el Gadaffi's government...

Prime Minister Kamal el Ganzouri has acquired more real power than any previous occupant of what has been a largely ceremonial post. By centring power on the Premier's...

Academic papers to be delivered to conferences in Tunisia must now be vetted by the Higher Education Ministry. The move follows a conference on financing when a foreign...

Three Algerians have been charged in London with 'possession of articles for the commission, preparation or instigation of terrorist acts outside the UK': police found chemicals, bomb-making manuals,...

The battered opposition, Western governments and the international media reacted warily to the declared results of Algeria's general elections on 5 June. The pro-regime Rassemblement National Démocratique (RND),...

The first official face-to-face talks between Polisario and Morocco, on the United Nations' referendum plan in Lisbon on 23-25 June, are being hailed as a breakthrough. Morocco had...

Colonel Moammar el Gadaffi may plan to fly to South Africa in breach of United Nations Security Council (Lockerbie) sanctions on Libya flights. Britain and the United States...

With all the country's leading legal opposition parties committed to participating in general elections on 5 June, a constitution in place which gives the presidency scope to control...

Rassemblement National Démocratique (RND): Algeria's newest party is expected to win because of its close relations with the presidency. RND leader Abdelkader Bensalah is President of the unelected...

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan hopes former United States' Secretary of State James Baker, whom he appointed Special Envoy for Western Sahara on 17 March, has enough...

Tunisia poses a problem for Western policy makers. On the face of it, the country's economic success proves that the International Monetary Fund's stabilisation policies can work. Tunisia...

Ramadan is over but the wave of terror during the holy month leaves a bitter legacy. Dozens of villagers died in attacks by Groupe Islamique Armé units –...

This year's elections, probably in May or June, may bring opposition parties into government but the political opening will be limited. Much of the power will stay with...