Negotiations between the Moroccan army and Russia are well advanced for purchase, by the Kingdom, of Russian “Amur-1650” diesel-electric powered submarine and Sukhoi SU-34 tactical bombers, reports Russian media Tass, cited by Defense World. “Ostensibly, Rabat needs advanced weaponry to fight terrorists, but experts presume a confrontation with its neighbor Algeria is a more likely...

The Secretary-General of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has said that the September 26-28 meeting of OPEC and non-OPEC producers in Algiers, would be an informal meeting for consultations and not for decision making. According to him, the group is not looking for a definite price range for oil, they are seeking stability for the market.“The informal gathering was...

The Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Co (EGAS) has boosted its natural gas production by 330 million cubic feet per day via the linking of 4 new wells to the national grids. These four wells are situated in the Mediterranean, Nile Delta and Western Desert Concessions owned by Eni, BP and Shell. This new development comes after Minister of Petroleum, Tarek El Molla, in late August declared that the...

Reversing last week’s decision, the Ivorian Cocoa and Coffee Council (CCC) said cocoa contracts will not be re-sold or cancelled in the 2016-2017 season. Indeed, last week Ivorian authorities gave cocoa exporters six days to provide a documented proof of their export contracts. The government even threatened to resell contracts of those who would fail to submit the required documents....

Secretary General of Algerian Ministry of Agriculture, Kamel Chadi, and China’s Ambassador to Algeria, Yang Guangyu, signed on September 15, 2016, in Algiers, a memorandum of understanding for the second stage of pilot project for the management of saline agricultural lands in the Hmadnas (Relizane) region, TsaAlgérie reported. Exploiting Algeria’s saline lands is crucial for the...

The British parliament, in a report released on September 14, 2016, blames former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and UK’s ex-Prime Minister David Cameron for politic instability and mayhem in Libya following the military intervention that led to the death of the North African nation’s former leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, in 2011. According to the British Foreign Affairs Committee...

Mozambique’s president, Filipe Nyusi, pledged to work with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding the international audit of its public debt, the institution said in a statement cited by Reuters. The president’s commitment comes after he met in Washington with Christine Lagarde, IMF’s head, to reassure international institutions and investors concerning the scandal which exposed...

Mining firm IAMGOLD released additional drilling results from 23 diamond drill holes at the Malikoundi deposit totaling 2,217 m, on its Boto gold project in Senegal. Main mineralized intersections were found on drill hole 2302, at 12 m grading 6.39 g/t gold including 3 m grading 20.77 g/t, drill hole 2300, at 9 m grading 4.76g/t gold and drill hole 2303, at 22 m grading 4.04 g/t. On drill hole...

Moroccan business mogul Anas Sefrioui just created a company specialized in industry, trade, construction car assembling. According to daily L’Economiste which reported the news on Sept 16, 2016, the firm will have as initial capital $1.029 million (10 million dirham). Named Afri Motors S.A, the new company will be headed by Sefrioui himself, as director general, and his son Malik....

Portugal’s REN’s Sines LNG terminal situated on the Atlantic coast is expected to receive a cargo of liquefied natural gas from Nigeria. The shipping data from the port of Sines shows that the 174,900-cbm LNG Finima II liquefied natural gas carrier has left Nigeria’s Bonny export facility, and is expected to be received at the terminal’s jetty on September 22, 2016. Portugal’s LNG...