Year: 2017

G20 commits to Africa Partnership

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In a recently concluded G20 meeting held in Hamburg, Germany, the world leaders vowed, among others, to commit to Africa Partnership. This was in a bid to recognise the opportunities and challenges in African countries as well as the goals of the 2030 Agenda. This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership. It seeks to stimulate action over the next fifteen years in areas of critical importance for humanity and the planet. Africa, as a continent, is an integral part of the Agenda. An…

Arab films explore gender themes in festival return to Canberra

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The 14th annual Arab Film Festival Australia (AFFA) returns to Canberra on September 1-2, focusing on gender themes with an impressive program of four features and four short films. AFFA will screen films from Lebanon, Egypt, Algeria, Jordan, Palestine, Iraq, Tunisia and Australia, shining a light on the lives of generations of Arab women and how they navigate and overcome modern day prejudice.  The festival will also feature films that take an in-depth look at the lives of young men and how they battle with expectations of masculinity in today’s society. The 2017 Arab…

Tunisia: Dispute Between Parties Delays Ministerial Amendment

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Tunisia- Stances expressed by Ennahdha Party and Al Nidaa Party have revealed a huge difference in points of view towards the ministerial amendment that was announced by Prime Minister of Tunisia Yousef El-Shahed, before he delayed its implementation later on. The ministerial amendment has been proposed since April when Shahed dismissed ministers of education, finance and investment. Reliable sources stated that Shahed hasn’t yet finalized the ideal figures to replace the three sacked ministers because of the considerable number of candidacies and pressure from opposition parties. Points of views regarding…

The 2030 goal to see world free from legislation that discriminates against women

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Citizen activism is seeing ‘marry your rapist’ laws disappearing, finally. But laws protecting perpetrators of rape are still in place all over the world, writes Janelle Weissman from UN Women National Committee Australia There is a movement afoot. People all across the globe are vocally and visibly opposing laws that for too long have kept women from justice. The notorious ‘marry your rapist’ laws are toppling, because of citizen activism, government action, UN Women coordination and global voices speaking out. Wind back the clock. In 2012, Amina al-Filali was raped. Seven…

Libyan PM visit Khartoum to agree strategy amid border tensions

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Libya’s Prime Minister, Fayez Al-Sarraj visits Khartoum today for talks with his Sudanese counterpart, Omar Al-Bashir aimed at reducing the presence of armed rebels groups on the joint border, the Sudan Media Centre (SMC) reported. The head of the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) previously cancelled a visit in March after clashes between his government’s army and local militia in the Libyan capital, Tripoli. Al-Sarraj’s two-day visit is expected to focus on political, military and security co-operation following an attack in May when Sudanese rebels staged an armed…

Turkey mulls action against Egyptian preacher for attacking Tunisia’s Essebsi

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In a video, Istanbul-based Wagdy Ghoneim attacked President Essebsi for urging ‘gender equality, equal inheritance rights’ in Tunisia. Turkey announced on Friday that it would consider legal action against Istanbul-based Egyptian preacher Wagdy Ghoneim for remarks he made against Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi. The move came after Tunisia on Thursday summoned the Turkish ambassador to protest against remarks made by Ghoneim in a widely circulated video in which he attacked Essebsi for demanding “full gender equality, including equal inheritance rights for women” in Tunisia. Essebsi’s comments came in a speech…

Interview: Improvement of security in Tunisia helps tourism rebound

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Tunisia has seen improvement in the security situation this year, which has greatly helped the tourism rebound, a senior official told Xinhua in a recent interview. Leila Tekaia, manager of public relations and communication of Tunisian National Tourism Office (ONTT), said Tunisia has confidence in its current security situation. “Everything is truly under perfect control now. Efforts have been made in recruiting security agencies, as well as in training and supervising them. Cameras with 24-hour surveillance have been set in tourist resorts, even in the outside archeological sites,” she added.…

More involvement needed by Libyan government on Misrata-Tawergha agreement

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A member of the Municipal Council of Misrata, Ali Abusitta, stated that a meeting between the delegations of Misrata and Tawergha was held in Tunisia which also included the UN envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salame, to discuss a number of points, including obstacles to the implementation of the agreement between the two cities and ways to achieve the return of the displaced to their homes. Abusitta stated that the most prominent obstacle facing the activation of the agreement is the absence of the role of the Libyan government on the…

A ZAR for the digital age: Is SARB planning a national cryptocurrency?

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In July, the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) signalled its intention to begin regulating virtual currencies. The announcement that the central bank would be trialling cryptocurrency regulations, with a view to officially approve their use, was welcomed by market commentators, many of whom had been critical of SARB’s reluctance to embrace non-fiat currencies sooner, writes FXTM’s Emma Davidson, Communications Manager. Cryptocurrencies have caught the imagination of investors this year, with Bitcoin charting over 350% increases since January. It might sound like a bubble – a trend heading for a fall…

Washington Post: U.S. should send withheld Egypt aid to Tunisia

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The Trump administration has surprised Egypt’s autocratic government by delaying or diverting nearly $300 million in U.S. aid. It’s an appropriate response to the most severe repression in the Arab country’s modern history and to the regime’s collaboration with North Korea. But for those who believe that President Donald Trump has suddenly lost his affection for Egyptian strongman Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, some perspective is necessary: The actions were largely forced by congressional legislation, and they are unlikely to have much effect unless there is follow-up in the next federal budget. Congress…