Category: Blog
Libya: UNSMIL’s Process hits a Hard Rock in Tobruk
UNSMIL’s Political Agreement that was signed on 17 Dec. 2015, by representatives of the HoR and some MPs from eastern Libya who were not mandated by the GNC continues to face an uphill journey. Although the Political Agreement stipulates that...
Ennahdha and the Islamist-Secularist Debate in Tunisia
Ennahdha Movement is not immune to the Islamist-secular debate, having delayed holding its 10th congress until spring 2016. There are intense debates within Ennahdha, in light of its short-lived time in power. This year’s conference is coming to be considered...
Religion and Politics in Tunisia
Beyond public opinion surveys the issue of religion in the public sphere has impacted political participation tremendously, and has led to divisions and revisions within established political parties and movements in North Africa. Again, the Tunisian example demonstrates the shape...
Leon’s Libyan Dialogue Encounters Hurdles along the Road to Geneva
UNSMIL announced over the weekend that a new round of Libyan political dialogue would take place in Geneva on Wednesday 14 January, this week. Despite the shuttle diplomacy effort, that Bernardino Leon seems to have carried out to consult with...
Libya: Algiers renews its Engagement in the Libyan Dialogue Process
The first two weeks of Martin Kobler’s leadership of UNSMIL have been a period of intense diplomatic activity. Kobler has already indicated that he will start his mediation efforts where his predecessor left off, but made it clear that “Leon...
Tunisia: Bloody Attack on Presidential Guard Prompts Stringent Security Measures
The bloody attack in Tunis on 24 November, which killed a dozen presidential guards, prompted a series of new security measures from the government. The Tunisian government raised the security alert to the highest (third) level, including an 8-hour curfew...
Tunisia: President Beji Essebsi Weighs in Again to Resolve Nidaa Party’s Crisis
The political crisis within Nidaa Tounes persists, and it seems that the attack in Tunis did not slow the escalation of the crisis with Nidaa Tounes. Indeed, the rivalry between the Hafedh Essebsi group and Mouhcen Merzouk loyalists led to...
Lybia: Kobler takes over Leon’s unfinished Job
German career diplomat Martin Kobler has taken over the duties of Bernardino Leon as UN envoy to Libya. The change came following what Libyan affairs observers considered a Libya-gate scandal in the wake of the leaked emails of Leon, obtained...