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March 22, 2010
Interesting if confirmed: Obama to visiting Morocco
Front page news in the Moroccan daily Le Soir, normally a decent paper. Apparently that was the word of the US Amb. Moroccan gov't must be doing back flips.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 01:40 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
March 20, 2010
The Moroccan missionary explusions
A brief note on this subject, Morocco expels Christian missionaries
Morocco expels Christian evangelists
Foster parents deported in move that appears to be tough new stance on foreign Christians.
It's a pity the journalist used the last phrase, for the expulsions really have fuck all to do with "foreign Christians" in any ordinary sense. Missionary, and in particular evangalists are not synonymous to Christian. Having had the regretable occasion some ten years ago in the same locality as the missionary run orphanages (which raises some suspiciouns in my mind), I immediately recalled meeting roughly ten years ago a bunch of Americans who were installing themselves.
They confided, incorrectly believing I had some sympathy it seemed, that they were creating a covert mission to convert the Moroccans “to the love of Christ” I believe they put it. I rather had an urge to report them, but business called.
I can’t help wonder if such characters were involved in this, and in any case, such shenanigans give others a bad name. Local law merely forbids proselytizing, and from what I have seen, one has to really try in order to run afoul.
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Posted by The Lounsbury at 06:16 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
December 07, 2009
Algeria, Tourist Destination
I am amused by this: Reuters AlertNet - INTERVIEW-Algeria counters violent image to woo tourists
ALGIERS, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Algeria is an emerging tourist destination which is spreading the word to potential visitors that the image of a country overshadowed by extremist violence is out of date, the tourism minister said in an interview.
Ahem, as Algerian security convoys are still being attacked, I would say the image is not really out of date at all. Never mind the horrible standards of hosting service.... Algeria isn't ready to be a beach destination (as the Minister would like per the arty).
Posted by The Lounsbury at 10:35 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
A Moroccan case that rather smells of scores being settled
The former president of Morocco's largest bank, Attijariwafa - who got the boot in 2007 after a bit too much success, and outshining his palace masters (the bank being owned by ONA with its palace connexions) is now being sued for "corruption" around events that go back several years.
Entre Nous Marocains: Entre Nous : Khalid Oudghiri devant la justice
Khalid Oudghiri, l’ex-président du groupe Attijariwafa bank, devra bientôt passer devant le juge. Le dossier vient d’être transmis à la Cour d’appel de Casablanca. Pour rappel, Khalid Oudghiri, actuellement à l’étranger, est poursuivi depuis quelques mois pour «corruption, abus de pouvoir, faux et usage de faux, escroquerie…» suite à une plainte déposée par l’homme d’affaires Abdelkrim Boufettas. De source judiciaire, le montant des pots-de-vin s’élève à quelque 47 millions de DH (L'économiste).
Posted by The Lounsbury at 08:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 29, 2009
Algeria's charming obsession with "settling scores" with foreign investors
Profits being sinful and all that (oh and buying another foreign investor out without the prior blessing (and cut) of the Pouvoir):
L'Algérie veut renforcer sa présence dans le secteur du ciment | Reuters: which is about the Algerian government's scheme to magically make its state cement plants competitive entities and national champions to fight the evil French Lafarge group for its sin of successfully buying out Orascom.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 10:48 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
September 16, 2009
Entertaining Algerian Scandals: Or speaking too bluntly in confidential memos
One has to take this online news source's articles with no small pinches of salt, but this is an amusing article even allowing for shoddy journalistic standards (some things don't read quite right for a DG of a private company, some seem rather Algerian...): Le DG français du concessionnaire Diamal compare Bouteflika à un parrain et accuse Ouyahia d'être «maqué» avec Sovac (The French Director General of the Diamal concession compares Boutflika to a Godfather and accuses Ouyahia to be pasted on Sovac.)
Ah this is fun.
Serge Gurvil est le directeur général de Diamal, un concessionnaire automobile algérien filiale du groupe français CFAO. Dans ses notes internes adressées régulièrement à sa hiérarchie à Paris, il ne se contente pas de commenter les résultats financiers de sa société florissante - 146 millions d'euros au premier semestre 2009. Ce directeur commente également la situation politique en Algérie et émet des commentaires sur les personnages clé de l'Etat algérien, notamment le président Bouteflika.
Dans une note datée du 15 avril, dont TSA s'est procurée une copie, Serge Gurvil commente les résultats du premier semestre de Diamal. Mais la première partie du document est consacrée à l'évolution de la situation politique en Algérie au lendemain de la réélection du président Bouteflika pour un troisième mandat, le 9 avril dernier.
« La crise n'est pas encore officiellement arrivée en Algérie, puisque la confiance est là, traduite par 74% de votants et 90,24% de pro-Bouteflika. Le monde continue donc de tourner autour de la planète Algérie et ceux qui nous gouvernent de se faire la guerre sur leur console Nintendo, absolument pas préoccupés des dommages collatéraux - augmentation terrible du coût de la vie résultant de la dévaluation du dinar et de l'absence de contrôle des prix, renforcement des tracasseries bureaucratiques pour les sociétés organisées et en même temps embellie de l'informel et de la corruption à tous niveaux (à commencer par l'Etat), malaise social profond ... De nombreux partisans du Président sont amers, considérant que c'est le mandat de trop », écrit-il à l'adresse de ses responsables à Paris.
Et de poursuivre, plus dur à l'égard du pouvoir algérien et du président Bouteflika : « Le fait est, que l'homme (ndlr : le président Bouteflika) est de plus en plus isolé (et fragile ?) et que dans son ombre les règlements de compte saignent l'économie, le personnel politique et les cadres, avec un arbitraire sidérant (certains magistrats sont aux ordres). Le Président est devenu ventriloque, en Juillet 2008, disant le contraire de ce qu'il affirmait précédemment : depuis, le Chef du Gouvernement se prend pour lui, assenant l'exécutif de directives assassines trop riches (et trop pauvres de contenu) pour être mises en oeuvre. Et maintenant : « same player shoots again » ? En l'attente du changement de gouvernement annoncé, impossible de se faire une idée sur la ligne à venir - s'il y en a une. »
....
Mais, dès le 1er août, Serge Gurvil récidive dans une autre note. Il compare le président Bouteflika à Don Carleone, le personnage du célèbre film « Le Parrain ». « Nous sommes dans une période, où l'Algérie peut imploser - Don Corleone semble dépassé, dans son entourage chacun est armé, pourtant on entend tirer pas très loin (recrudescence du terrorisme dur depuis Mai) ! la chorba n'a plus de goût, à force de cuire et recuire ; où est passée la mama ? », écrit-il.
TSA a tenté de faire réagir l'intéressé, mais il n'a pas répondu à nos appels téléphoniques.
Les propos de Serge Gurvil ne constituent pas le premier dérapage du patron d'un concessionnaire automobile français en Algérie. En mai dernier, le DG de la filiale algérienne du groupe GBH (représentant de Citroën) était au coeur d'une polémique après avoir traité les agents algériens de sa marque de « terroristes » et de « moutons ». Quatre mois après les faits, l'homme est toujours en poste.
(emphasis added)
I'll just translate the juicy and amusing parts of the supposed document (as bolded above):
"The crisis hasn't yet officially arrived in Algeria, insofar as confidence is in place, translate by 74% of voters [voting] and 90.24% of [tehm] pro Bouteflika. [i.e. in the elections] The world continues to turn around Planet Algeria, and those who govern us continue making war on their Nitendos, absolutely not at all concerned by collateral damage - terrible increase in the cost of living resulting from the devaluatin of the dinar and absence of price controls, reinforced by the bureaucratic bother for formal sector companies, at the same time making the informal sector and corruptoin more attractive, at all levels (starting with the State), profound social malaise ... Numerous partisans of the President are bitter, considering the [pres.] term one too many.Actually, in my read, while not diplomatic, this is pretty much spot on. I have serious doubts, however, this note is (a) real and (b) if real, not "augmented" from the actual original.
... "The fact is, the Man ... is increasingly isolated (and fragile?) and that in his shadow the score settling is bloodying the economy, policy staff and managers, in staggering arbitrariness ... Waiting for the announced change in goverment, impossible to have an idea on the [political] line coming - if there is one.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 06:01 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 14, 2009
Algeria Incoherences - Jihad against rational import policy
I shall have to come back to this, but LFC : le bâtiment et les travaux publics déjà touchés par les pénuries but the Algerian state's illiterate jihad against imports is having the expected effect:
Le gouvernement multiplie les obstacles à l'importation et des pénuries commencent à affecter certains secteurs économiques. L'indisponibilité de nombreux produits importés sur le marché a déjà forcé plusieurs entreprises à arrêter les chantiers de bâtiment et de travaux publics. « Faute d'une teinte que j'utilise pour colorer le béton, j'ai arrêté le chantier de construction d'un centre commercial. Cette teinte n'est pas produite localement, elle est importée », affirme le directeur d'une entreprise de bâtiment. Le manque d'ampoules, de faux plafonds, de vis et d'autres accessoires nécessaires à la réalisation de centres d'affaires, salles de conférences et logements de haut standing commencent à se faire sentir chez les revendeurs habituels.Not unconnected with the above madness, Nouvelles stratégie d'aide aux entreprises publiques : l'Etat efface les dettes de l'entreprise Eniem the Algerian state has a brilliant and cunning plan to achieve growth, writing off the debt of loss-making state firms, and making them the centre-piece of their economic strategy. That worked so well in the 1970s....
Depuis l'entrée en vigueur, fin juillet, des nouvelles mesures économiques contenues dans la Loi de finances complémentaire 2009, de nombreux importateurs trouvent des difficultés à importer et à renouveler leurs stocks. « Rien n'a été importé depuis fin juillet », jure un importateur. Les marchandises déjà arrivées au port d'Alger sont toujours en attente de déchargement, faute de places mais aussi de papiers nécessaires au dédouanement.
La Banque d'Algérie a demandé aux opérateurs économiques de refaire toutes les factures et de présenter de nouveaux dossiers aux banques pour pouvoir effectuer le paiement et le transfert des montants correspondants. « Les banques nous ont demandé de réécrire en lettres les montants inscrits en chiffres. Du coup, il faut refaire toute la paperasse et ça prend du temps », explique un importateur. « La manœuvre est destinée à retarder au maximum les paiements et les transferts », estime t-il.
En outre, la décision contenue dans la LFC d'instaurer le crédit documentaire comme unique moyen de paiement des importations a provoqué une ruée des importateurs sur les banques, selon plusieurs témoignages recueillis par TSA. Mais là encore, les obstacles administratifs ne manquent pas. "Pour obtenir une lettre de crédit, la banque exige une attestation fiscale. Et pour avoir cette attestation, les Impôts demandent la fiche des stocks. C'est l'agent des Impôts qui va juger si l'entreprise a un stock suffisant ou non. C'est inadmissible!", regrette le patron d'une PME privée.
"Le gouvernement ne cherche pas seulement à réduire, il veut stopper carrément les importations pour avoir une balance de paiement positive ou équilibrée à la fin de l'année", redoute un chef d'entreprise qui a requis l'anonymat. Des économistes évoquent des pénuries de nombreux produits dès 2010, dans un pays qui importe entre 92 et 95% de ses besoins en produits alimentaires et équipements. "Les stocks actuels vont s'épuiser dans 3 à 4 mois. Si les importateurs ne renouvellent pas les stocks, il y aura des pénuries", prévient un économiste.
(emphasis added)
L'ensemble des dettes de l'Entreprise nationale des industries et de l'électroménager (Eniem) viennent d'être rachetées par l'Etat, a appris TSA auprès de son Président directeur général M.Yadaden Dahmane. Ce montant représente 16 milliards de dinars (160 millions d'euros) dont 13,4 milliards de dinars de découverts auprès des banques. Ces dettes engendraient annuellement des frais financiers de 1,1 milliards de dinars, mettant en difficulté cette entreprise, jadis fleuron de l'économie nationale.
L'Eniem, basée à Tizi Ouzou, fait partie d'une liste de 250 entreprises publiques jugées « solvables » par le gouvernement. Elles vont bénéficier d'un soutien financier de l'Etat pour pouvoir se relancer dans le cadre d'une nouvelle stratégie destinée à soutenir le secteur public.
Selon nos informations, le gouvernement prépare une batterie de mesures destinées à mettre les entreprises publiques au cœur de la nouvelle stratégie de relance économique. La loi de finances 2010, actuellement en préparation, devrait favoriser largement les entreprises publiques et certains groupes privés nationaux. But : créer des champions locaux capables de favoriser l'émergence d'une offre domestique et contribuer à l'atteinte de l'objectif d'une forte réduction des importations dans les prochaines années.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 06:03 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Algeria - Chinese update
A small update on the August tensions between the Chinese shopkeepers and Algerians in Algiers: Bazar antichinois en Algérie from the French magazine, L'Express. Nothing of immense interest, merely that tensions remain.
Installés depuis peu, les commerçants asiatiques suscitent émoi et crispations.
De notre correspondant
Quatre policiers patrouillent jour et nuit dans le lotissement de béton. Le 3 août dernier, à Boushaki, dans la banlieue est d'Alger, des affrontements ont éclaté entre commerçants chinois et algériens. Des boutiques chinoises ont été saccagées, la rixe a tourné à la bataille de rue et failli provoquer une crise diplomatique entre Alger et Pékin. Les autorités, qui veulent éviter de nouveaux heurts, sont d'autant plus vigilantes que, au mur invisible qui sépare les deux communautés, le ramadan (qui a commencé le 22 août pour un mois) a ajouté une ligne rouge.
"A Boushaki, la majorité des habitants porte barbe et qamis [l'ample chemise des croyants rigoristes]. A plusieurs reprises, avant même la rixe du mois d'août, il y a eu des disputes, notamment parce que des Chinois consommaient de la bière dans la rue", souligne le sociologue Mustapha Madi.
Les Asiatiques disent aujourd'hui vouloir éviter tout malentendu. Ils parlent de "respect mutuel" et se félicitent de la présence de la police. Mais la méfiance persiste. "Pas question qu'ils fument dans la rue. On ne les laissera pas nous priver de la baraka du mois sacré, c'est important pour le commerce!" prévient Rabah, l'un des boutiquiers. "Avant la bagarre, ils faisaient n'importe quoi par rapport à notre foi", renchérit Saïd, propriétaire d'un magasin de chaussures.
Mais le choc des cultures n'explique toutefois pas tout. Il y a aujourd'hui 50 000 Chinois en Algérie. Venus généralement afin de travailler sur les chantiers, certains, comme ceux de Boushaki, ont ouvert des boutiques. Et ils cassent les prix, au grand dam des commerçants algériens. La rixe du 3 août tenait aussi, selon l'expression du politologue Rachid Tlemçani, de la querelle entre "négociants globalisés"...
Posted by The Lounsbury at 12:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 09, 2009
A really queer article on Maghreb and Terror
I am unfamiliar with the site, this popped up on one of my news robots, but Algeria: The Message Has Backfired I dearly hope it is not a serious site and article on terrorism....
But an amusing set of quotes
... This was finally done, at the same time there was a year of good rains. Thus the spectacular growth in cereal production. Lots of happy farmers out in the countryside, which is bad news for terrorists trying to survive among "the people." Neighboring Morocco is having a peculiar problem with Islamic radicalism. Iran has been sending missionaries, armed with lots of cash, to Morocco, and engaged in aggressive attempts to convert Sunnis there, to the militant brand of Shia Islam favored in Iran. This has so angered Morocco, that diplomatic relations with Iran were cut earlier this year. Morocco has also cracked down on Wahabi missionaries (Sunni radicals) from Saudi Arabia, and Islamic radicals in general. The king has an advantage in that he is a direct descendent of the Prophet Mohammed, and is generally popular. The Moroccan government is not as corrupt and inept as the one in Algeria, but is not a whole lot better either.The Shia missionary angle is just... bizarre. But I did find the bolded line funny.
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September 08, 2009
Morocco, Berber, ... Racism...
By chance in reading the links on Berber items after a link-back to my Berber Teaching posty, I stumbled upon this rather puzzling piece: Duncan Goes To Morocco: Racism as I see it in Morocco.
The author, I believe a Peace Corps volunteer, has a most peculiar take on ethnicity in Morocco, positing racism towards Berbers. It's worth a comment.
First, the use of the word and concept "racism" is utter bollocks. While there is certainly racism in the proper sense of the term in Morocco and the Maghreb - colour prejudice against perceived different "races" and in particular against Maghrebis of obvious recent sub-Saharan ancenstry, calling Berber-Arab ethnic differences racism is a bizarre misuse of the term. Perhaps American politics driven, but that aside, Berbers and Arabs in the Maghreb are essentially the same race, using race as an easy word for phenotype (although each may be divided themselves between 'black' and 'white.'). The poster perhaps means ethnocentrism and prejudice, but contrary to Americans usage, prejudice and racism are not synonyms.
As to his facts, while it may be there are strong Arab-Berber tensions in his area, as he argues below, calling this racial tension is absurd.
Continue reading "Morocco, Berber, ... Racism..."
Posted by The Lounsbury at 05:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 07, 2009
Ramadan & Economic Illiteracy (And exageratted Ftour tables)
This is sure to get me in trouble, but reading articles like this, (Citizens call for sit ins against rise in food prices [during Ramadan]) irritate me:
Des groupes de citoyens appellent à des sit-ins contre la hausse des prix alimentaires (Magharebia.com) (also see La hausse des prix se poursuit pendant le ramadhan en Algérie (Rise in prices continues during Ramadan in Algeria).
It's really quite simple. Despite being a month of "fasting," in fact Ramadan is a month of gorging. At night-time, but nevertheless. It's impossible to go to a Ftour / Iftaar and not find a table loaded down with an absurd amount of food, never mind the dinner that follows or the Suhour in the wee hours. I'd guess that consumption actually rises by about a third. And the law of supply and demand kicks in, spike in consumption means a spike in prices. I can't locate the article, but when I was just in Algeria last week, I ran across a particularly cretinous bit of idiocy written by a supposed business journo claiming there was no reason at all for such price rises, other than "speculation."
Of course part of this is few people want - in public - to admit the obvious, that Ramadan is effectively treated as a month long excuse to gorge oneself at night on sweeties, roll into work an hour late, malinger about and repeat. Now, this is not particularly news or a new development. But the whinging on about prices really gets on my nerves for its sheer illiteracy. I was just at a friends Iftar in Algeria (at least it spared me eating Iftar in the hotel, given the horrid standards of Algerian state hotel cuisine), and sadly my amigo whinged on about how Ramadan prices killed his pitiful little state salary. Salary is genuinely sad, although given my interactions with his division what comes to mind is "you get paid for your value add...." - the department if not him personally. But the other item that went through my mind was "for the love of God, then chill the bloody hell out with the Ftour table." Which was loaded down with enough sweets to keep Cuban sugar imports high for a decade, never mind the boureks and etc. etc. Of course the whole guest angle was there, but I've been to enough of these to know the lay-on was not really upped much for the guest.
I'll admit that fasting all day, one has the natural desire to kick in a big of a sugar rush, and "compensate" for the annoyances as it were. Entirely human, and my general philosophy is Beni Adam, Beni Adam - people are people and one shouldn't expect magical variations in basic human nature. Nevertheless, I feel confident in opining that generally throughout MENA it goes far too far (and in many ways defeats the whole philosophy of the month, but that's religious philosophising, which I don't care to engage in).
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Posted by The Lounsbury at 10:47 AM | Comments (10) | TrackBack
September 04, 2009
Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi is set to ask the United Nations to ‘abolish’ Switzerland
While our dear Guide probably won't (but then who knows) do so in General Assembly, he did ask UN (hat tip Maghreb Politics Review)
to abolish Switzerland.
Ah,now that is real style.
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August 31, 2009
Ben Ali Foreever!
I am sure everyone is absolutely behind another Five Years of Ben Ali-ism Vive Ben Ali. No doubt his upcoming reaffirmation of coronation of Ben Ali Bey, Beylerbey of Tunis will achieve it's usual results: AFP: Tunisie: Ben Ali dépose officiellement sa candidature à la présidentielle
And of course, after this upcoming triumph, hopefully even at age 80+ the Tunisians will be blessed with another occasion in 5 years to reaffirm the Beylerbey of Tunis.
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August 19, 2009
Al Qaeda fil Maghreb cops to Mauretanian Attack
From Radio France International: RFI - Al-Qaïda au Maghreb islamique revendique l’attentat anti-français
Well, no surprise as such, but the Sahara is becoming a bit of a genuine security problem, and not just in the over-heated imaginations of American Generals.
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August 15, 2009
Algeria & Chinese in Algeria: the riot & fallout
I was somewhat bemused to find Global Voices Online post on Algeria & the Chinese incident although the choice of contrasting blogs was.... interesting (insofar as one is just an ignoramus blithering on without a bloody clue and the other was Moor Next Door). The summary notes
The influx of Chinese immigrants to Algeria ignited a face off between the immigrants and locals in the Algerian capital Algiers. About 100 residents and migrants clashed, using knives and bludgeons, sparking a debate over whether this incident would impact Chinese investments in the North African country
Leaving aside the first blog cited, which is merely stupid, Kal's commentary deserves some further thought. I am going to leave aside the geopolitical relations side of this - which deserve comment as Kal's characterisation's has a slightly .... well I think too much focus on the macropolitics, which in most respects is not the interesting angle.
Also picked up in French:Global Voices en Français » Algérie : Après les affrontements entre Chinois et Algériens
L'opinion algérienne semble considérer que les chinois sont responsables des tensions : ils « ne respectent pas les mœurs locales », ils « boivent de l'alcool », et si l'on en croit Kimo, drogue et prostitution ne tarderont pas à arriver avec les « chinetoques ».
Au-delà de ces réactions, cet incident fait se poser la question de savoir s'il aura un impact sur les nombreux investissements chinois [en anglais] en Algérie.
Continue reading "Algeria & Chinese in Algeria: the riot & fallout"
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August 02, 2009
Algeria: Expropriations & Import Substitution, Just Because it worked so well in the 1970s
Prompted by the advert next to the article cited (which was is an advert for the sale of a small import-export operation), a small reflexion on Algerian economic politics and policy, insofar as Algeria - no doubt thanks to The Lead Comb-Over, is bizarrely unearthing the import substitution and nationalisation measures of the 1970s as its lead economic policy reaction to ongoing problems.
The "Why" of course is mixed. Absolute incomprehension of market economics and operations is certainly a major factor, as is the regime's paranoia in general another, and specific national paranoia regarding foreigners after the French experience - which remains terribly damaging, in particular for the generations over ~45 years old.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 05:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 13, 2009
Algeria: Monkey’s Salary
It would be unfair to mock the English here (it being simply an awkward translation)Ennahar Online - Algeria: Monkey’s Salary, but the thinking as well amuses me.
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September 05, 2008
Lovely Algeria, Dreaming of Tourism, largely Iraqi.
Sadly the feisty little nihilistic hmir that are Al Qaeda fil Maghreb have of late proven that while they are no doubt in the throes of bloody mad nihilism to their long term detriment, they are rather good at bloody throes.
This is a trifle annoying as I have to fly into Algiers for a nice Ramadan stay in a pointless excercise in trying to unblock some deal(s). (See Algeria, to spite our face, we shall snip off our investors noses)
Continue reading "Lovely Algeria, Dreaming of Tourism, largely Iraqi."
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August 21, 2008
Algeria, to spite our face, we shall snip off our investors noses
Algeria has a special talent, as evidenced by this FT report, in selecting the most bumbling and idiotic of policies, and then explaining them opaquely.
In this instance, frustrated that foreign investment is not magically creating lots of jobs in a state dominated, state controlled economy where foreign investment is restricted and sweated to death, and largely going into capital intensive areas (this being about the only option) under shall we say less than safe security circumstances, brilliantly decides the proper response is to restrict capital repatriation and overall investment. Why that will show them, then the State can continue doing what it's best at- blaming foreigners for its problems while playing fast and loose wasting hydrocarbons revenues:
Continue reading "Algeria, to spite our face, we shall snip off our investors noses"
Posted by The Lounsbury at 12:19 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
August 20, 2008
Sunny & Bomby Algeria,: Al Qaeda's Club Med tourist destination
Algeria sadly seems to be taking a turn for the worse, with Iraq style car bombs targeting - Iraq style once again - police stations and recruiting stations and doing so in a series. (Perhaps Emaar may wish to revise its plans for its Tourism City at Cite Colonel Abbas to something focused perhaps on AQIM personal development centres?
This follows earlier this month more Iraq style suicide car bombings; sadly the Americans seem to have actually been able to export some of Iraq's political culture.... just not the part they thought (although certainly the part I've expected). (Also from NY Times: this not useless overview on Al Qaeda fil Maghreb al Islami
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July 13, 2008
Islamic Finance in Maghreb bis
An unsurprising arty on Islamic finance from Khaleej Times: Islamic finance makes slow start in N.Africa (or rather the Maghreb):
As I have noted previously the hype about a big 'Islamic' finance market englobing the poorer sections of the Islamic world, extrapolating off of the habits of the more conservative (or I would say, narrow minded) Gulf with its luxury orientation is not well placed. The article from last week makes the point.
Some comments:
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Posted by The Lounsbury at 04:16 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 12, 2008
Al Qaeda fil Maghreb Al Islami: The Franchising Concept Gains new ground....
This recent arty in The New York Times and the accompanying interview with Abdelmalek Droukdal , who besides being terribly charming (ahem), was also sporting enough to chat with the NYT.
Although the translation of the interview feels a bit awkward it is a moderately interesting read.
Continue reading "Al Qaeda fil Maghreb Al Islami: The Franchising Concept Gains new ground...."
Posted by The Lounsbury at 10:59 PM | Comments (12) | TrackBack
June 08, 2008
MENA - Africa investment article [corrected, blog post]
A quick if incomplete return to this topic, motivated by a somewhat peculiar article on Arab investment in Africa, oddly in a small American newspaper. Some notes on the article, both in re substance and its truly odd "background." [Correction, a blog post]
Continue reading "MENA - Africa investment article [corrected, blog post]"
Posted by The Lounsbury at 12:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 11, 2007
Alger la Blanche: Takfiri Nihilism & Murder
The takfiri nihilists, mutaslimine, have struck again in Algiers, I was just in those neighbourhoods on business a day or so ago, and at present can only hope my dear Algerian friends were not by chance caught in this bestial bloody mindedness. (English reporting here).
The report indicates that the nihilists of "Al Qaeda in the Maghreb" claimed responsibility this evening.
(Ce double attentat suicide a été revendiqué sur un site internet islamiste par Al Qaïda au Maghreb islamique, l'ex-Groupe salafiste pour la prédication et le combat (GSPC).)
Sadly these scum make the Algerian government look preferable, which is a real achievement in a negative sense.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 09:20 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
November 04, 2007
MENA Idiocies overheard
Actually - I do bloody swear - at my hotel lobby this evening:
Group of Americans (I presume given where I am business or American development assistance people) talking:
"You know there has never been a war between two countries with Mc Donalds"
[blithering on about McDo]
"We should work harder to get McDonalds in these [presumably MENA] countries, and the culture of getting along will improve [or grow, frankly I forget the precise wording]"
Ensued was a long, statistically illiterate discussion on the impact of FDI and peace, politics, pro Americanness, etc. which provoked a deep desire to jump and shot "Black Swan, Nassim Taleb" and obscenities.
As I have to suspect the American government subsidized or otherwise promoted this illiteracy, I give my condolences to those who tax payments are subsidizing sheer idiocy... (although frankly the understanding of the limited applicability of certain kinds of observations or stat analysis is not politically driven so I have to limit my ranting)
Posted by The Lounsbury at 07:23 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
October 22, 2007
Conference Call Idiocies: "So they're reformers?"
I hate conference calls with morons in North America. Bloody pants wetters wanted me to give them a run down of the investment situation in Maghreb, and in particular the "Democratic Developments" in Morocco.... (as well as the situation re Algeria and Libya).
Best question of the whole bloody fucking call: "So with a democratic reformer like the new Prime Minister, do you see opportunities picking up?" [in Morocco]
Reformer? I have no idea what this politically connected bloody crack-smoking fool was on about, but he should never be let near anyone's capital, that is for sure. It was a struggle to respond politely.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 05:10 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
September 22, 2007
Andalucia?
I confess some puzzlement at the new angle taken by the al Qaeda lunatic murderous scum with respect to blithering on about Andalous and taking back the Mediterranean. The bloody clods can't overturn a single Arab dictator of moderate incompetence, what the bloody hell is the angle on Andalous.
Yes, yes, I know the history, and can see some vague logic in the rhetorical flourish, but directing bombing attacks against the Spanish and French - as well as other Euros - strikes me as a real strategic mistake, on several levels. First, blowing up engineers working on such public works of clear public interest as dams I do not think is going to win over any Maghrebine sympathisers, rather I think it plays into the counter argument of the moderates that the entire Al Qaeda movement is a bunch of shaggy nihilistic lunatics that have as much to do with Islamic theology proper as my dear corner madman....
Posted by The Lounsbury at 08:41 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
September 19, 2007
In Defence of Wealthy Royals and Against Monopoly
I was seduced by this item noted via our News Room on the Moroccan Monarchy & the King's wealth to make a long comment in defence of a wealthy royalty (or as an observation that the criticisms were wrong headed in a typical wooley headed Left way) but against Monopoly - as a good Liberal that I am.
Continue reading "In Defence of Wealthy Royals and Against Monopoly"
Posted by The Lounsbury at 06:42 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
September 06, 2007
Appropos of Moroccan Elections
I am tempted to tell my Casablanca office that I am giving them the day off to vote, as it would be of greater utility than their latest efforts at development of our network.
But that might be too cruel.
Well, I fly out again shortly, I shall have to set some unreasonable goals. Rather like expecting democracy to bloom while barring unfortunate political movements that are clearly majority.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 10:25 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
September 02, 2007
Morocco gets the Millenium Challenge Loot
Well, near 700 millions of USD in grants is not bad, over 5 years - of course with a USD that's declining unless MCC has fully hedged itself, that's more like 500 million Euro I'd guess, but not a bad chunk of loot, eh?
I recall running into a US diplo a few years ago who went on and on about the Moroccan proposal being nothing but a bunch of incoherent demands to plug budget holes, now it seems that the Moroccans wore them out.
More to the point for characters like me, is there possibility to leverage this money on private investments (i.e.hopefully all the blithering on about investment to boost productivity will have some foundation).
One item to note:
On the corruption front, Morocco has slipped to 79th out of 163 nations on Transparency International’s corruption perceptions index, from 45th out of 100 nations in 1999.
Transparency's index has always irritated me as frankly my experience tells me that Morocco is less corrupt now than it used to be ten years ago. Tolerance for corruption rather seems to be decreasing.
Granted this is not an easy thing to measure, but nevertheless.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 10:58 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
August 17, 2007
Terror & Credit
It's a sad statement that only our newsroom alerted me to the fact that the very week I opposed in Casa a retard decided to undertake to blow himself up, in a sad attempt to commit a suicide bombing perhaps indicative of a wider plot, whose perhaps only edifying result is to suggest that Moroccans inclined to suicide bombing are incompetent idiots. I have been rather more obsessed with the unwinding of over-leverage (and by extension possible implications for myself, but who is not without sin?
Continue reading "Terror & Credit"
Posted by The Lounsbury at 12:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 15, 2007
And as requested, a comment on Morocco IHT arty
Somewhere in comments someone asked for my thoughts on this arty from 8 August IHT about Morocco or rather Casablanca.
Well, some caution is advised here.... for reasons I am sure you can divine.
My reaction is "fluff and buggery."
Continue reading "And as requested, a comment on Morocco IHT arty"
Posted by The Lounsbury at 09:39 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
April 17, 2007
Reflexions on Casablanca
It remains difficult to get business done here, the city being on edge, Moroccans and Casaouine being most unused to this kind of mindless violence. The anger is palpable across social classes, it seems to me, but frankly I have a lot of work to get done in a short time, so one must allow that my impressions are superficial, for all that they seem to match Ibn Kafka's.
Further, what everyone is saying - and I hear this from people who rarely speak well of the government, so I am inclined to say it is not mere government agitprop although that is present - is the population is actively helping the security forces.
Nevertheless, I am largely in conference rooms working on producing some financing documentation, which is rather different from being out on the street - that is doing a reporters job. Something facile whanking by bloggers oft forgets.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 07:16 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 16, 2007
Apres Bombing Business, Reflexions on Conducting Business in Casablanca
I am not entirely sure even how to classify this, but a moment to reflect on apres bombing business. I'm in town and have to achieve some things before flying on to some neighbours. However, this weekend rather fucked things up. Boom, boom.
I have to say that it is extraordinarily difficult to concentrate. First, everyone is talking about it. Second, the local papers charmingly published the photos of the bombers, charmingly blown in half. As I caught sight of this long distance, I can't say that I felt better about seeing it in colour on the front pages.
Then there is the business mtg interrupted by a paniced call from a man's wife who heard, falsely another bomb had gone off nearby to us. Really not conducive to getting various deals going.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 10:18 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
French Political Tests, and relationship to MENA
Via Ibn Kafka (whose comments on the recent Casablanca bombings are very much following), a test for your Francophone political instincts.
Continue reading "French Political Tests, and relationship to MENA"
Posted by The Lounsbury at 08:39 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
April 13, 2007
Terror & Opposition: Mohammed Faiz - Casablanca Bombing encores
Returning to a proposition I raised a month ago, but have sadly been too busy to act on, that of Mohammed Faiz, I noted that the weekly MarocHebdo International has a cover story on the man, the leader is Mohamed Faïz, héros de l'attentat terroriste du cybercafé de Sidi Moumen, se dit abandonné à son sort or "heros of the terrorist attack on the Sidi Moumen internet cafe, thinks he's been left to his own devices."
I picked up the hard copy in the airport today, (3 euro is really an absurd price I may add), and in reading I have to say obviously my proposition for a fund to support him and the victims is more necessary than I though.
However, one has to find the vehicle to do so. Obviously I have to try to move ahead on this. I would hope that any Maghrebine readers who might be able to facilitate actions might email the collounsbury yahoo address with thoughts.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 05:49 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
March 28, 2007
Economic Policy & Lessons for Maghreb: The pain in Spain will follow years of rapid economic gain
Although not directly MENA related, this is worthy of quick attention as it shows someone besides Hogan going for painful punditry, although with an underlying point, and because Spain is beginning to have a truly important influence in the North Africa - essentially Maghreb - region on an economic basis. As well, I would add, to a limited extent on a political basis.
So, here it is The Groan Worthy: The pain in Spain will follow years of rapid economic gain
Posted by The Lounsbury at 04:50 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
October 29, 2006
France, Immigration: On Delusions & Ignorance
Clive Davis has drawn my attention (in some ways I curse him) to a new round of utterly idiotic ignorant American whanking on about the problems in the French immigrant and native-born ethnic minority ghettoes.
While the violence infesting the immigrant and native born ethnic minority ghettoes is clearly reaching grotesque proportions, I have to question the sanity (or in the alternative honesty and/or intelligence) of writers that can send off missives characterising this as an issue of "Islamic militias" or of mass (white) emmigration to North America (the later proposition rather clearly racist).
Posted by The Lounsbury at 03:16 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
August 17, 2006
MENA Trade, Business Culture & Americans
While I confess this note is in part motivated by my desire to have an excuse to share this cartoon from the Moroccan business daily, l'Economiste from yesterday's - 16 Aug edition. This was emailed to me yesterday, and is worthy of a good laugh, I thought it also worthwhile to undertake some reflexions on both the subject matter and some generalisations about practical issues.
The text, by the way, reads roughly, "Let's go, don't be so timid." I presume everyone gets the allusion.
The subject matter is the fairly substantial non-impact of the much ballyhooed - in US circles - and much feared -in Maghrebine circles- Free Trade Agreement with the United States.
Utterly unsurprising, I may add, despite the rather overdone expectations on the American side (based on painful conversations with earnest American officials I have had from time to time) and fears on the Maghrebine side (who delusionally feared the US was going to come in and buy everything. If only.)
Continue reading "MENA Trade, Business Culture & Americans"
Posted by The Lounsbury at 12:48 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
July 28, 2006
Crossroad Cities: Tangiers & Topless Movie Stars
Taking a break from the All Leb (or Israel depending on jurisdiction) Massacres All The Time Media Frenzy, a quick comment on a well-placed (if sadly poorly timed for attention) arty in The Sunday Times on culture clash in tourism destination North Africa, specifically the historic city of Tangiers, long time city of sin, scum and other fine things that I like.
Continue reading "Crossroad Cities: Tangiers & Topless Movie Stars"
Posted by The Lounsbury at 06:43 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
July 21, 2006
On lighter matters
I just caught what may be the queerest combination of music I have heard to date (that still merits the name music, meaning leaving aside the horrible clownish screeching that Cairo studios put out): Ragga-Rai.
Think a combination of Rai a la (ex-Cheb) Khaled and Shaggy.
Odd but compelling in a queer way.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 10:39 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
June 04, 2006
Maghreb Encore, Queer Legal Twists: The engaging potential of non-Muslim Imams (or at least Mourchides)
Reading over Ibn Kafka's blog (perhaps I have to meet this guy, although the idea of people knowing the 'real' Lounsbury gives me hives) I came across this absolutely delicious piece: which by the author's analysis raises the concept of Imams and the like appointed by the State not actually having to be Muslim. Now, a slim chance that, but entertaining in and of itself. It also provides the occasion to reflect on some of the more silly claims that float around in the English language about the MENA states and Sharia law(s), which I will perhaps too snidely note would generally take a dim view of Jewish or Xian Imams per se).
Posted by The Lounsbury at 08:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
With Friends like This: Euro Left Environmentalist Warns Mass Tourism to Morocco May Spoil His Noble Savages
Via our very own Aqoul Aggregator, a fine little tool I should learn to make more use of, I found this delicious piece of utter idiocy Mass tourism threat to Morocco? (not the blog, the underlying report).
Justin Francis, co-founder of Responsible Travel, a leading promoter of eco-tourism, said the Moroccan government was expanding its tourist industry without regard for traditional attractions."There is something unique about Morocco - it may be only a three-hour flight from Britain but in social and cultural terms it is radically different. The introduction of hordes of tourists and new hotels, without considering local sensibilities, will lead to over-crowding, over-development and a clash of cultures," he said.
Stupid drooling idiot of dumb-fuck whanker. While crappy development is a risk, letting rural Morocco stew in grinding poverty as those quaint "traditional" lifestyles people like this love to idealise produce ever-diminishing returns and send youth packing off to the slums of Casablanca looking for jobs. Where they certainly get a "clash of cultures."
Dumb fucking idiot should be taken out on a camel to Jbel Sahro and left there with nothing but a candy bar. He can then ponder the ruiining of the quiant lives of the quaint impoverished people in proper context. Loathsome fuck.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 08:03 PM | Comments (15) | TrackBack
May 07, 2006
Bloody Annoying Whanking Morons
My dear friend and 'Aqoul quasi-colleague, as well as Dubai commentator extraordinaire, Secret Dubai has done a terrible thing.
Abusing her privs (well not really, but I indulge myself), she linked to a Totten piece on Libya on our main page via the 'Picks' function, without any warning or sign, leading me to innocently click through and afflict myself with my least favourite idiot's article on the country.
Now that I have polluted myself, I must purge. Which means a quick comment on this contemptible superficial git of a monolingual fool's typically impoverished comment on Libya.
Continue reading "Bloody Annoying Whanking Morons"
Posted by The Lounsbury at 07:38 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
October 01, 2005
In beating up on Liberals Against Terrorism: Some notes on a Morocco comment
One of their contributors, Mr. Ulrich, had a brief comment on the immigration and enclaves issues I commented on in passing yesterday on 'Aqoul.
One of the primary impressions my summer 2004 trip to Morocco left me with was the sheer economic inequality one observed crossing between Europe and North Africa, and then within Morocco between most actual Moroccans and the Western tourists. ..... The advantages of leaving are just too great - I don't know about Europe, but in the United States the minimum hourly wage is almost twice the average daily wage in Morocco, and when you get into sub-Saharan Africa the economic situation grows even bleaker. While nations should do everything they can to control their borders for security reasons of nothing else, the issue won't go away until these underlying economic issues are addressed. The problem, of course, is that "make Africa prosperous" isn't much of a policy suggestion.
A few notes on this:
(i) One really needs to compare purchasing power and not unadjusted wage rates, but the commentator is not an economist so I will let that pass.
(ii) The problem is less wage rates (legal Moroccan minimums are in fact too high, leading to a majority of off-the books employment) than growth rates.
(iii) While making Africa and North Africa prosperous is not a policy suggestion per se, freeing up their economies is. I should get back to my mini-project on comparative commentary based off of the World Bank Doing Business data.
Finally, I was bemused by the author's personal site on his first visit to Morocco. Lot's of silly things said, but decent enough observations over all.
Posted by The Lounsbury at 04:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 05, 2005
On Sex & MENA: The Local Porn Industry
I have a longish reflection on this very subject, and on the issue of prostitution, general dress and the like. It needs editing (and has for months), but this week's report in La Gazette, a mainstream weekly, and some observations I made this weekend while shopping in my tres chic office-shopping mall complex provoke me to a small interim observation:
First, of course, I am not surprised that the article I cited, entitled "L’industrie du film X au Maroc" was published, given recent scandals in Agadir and hints of the same in Marrakech. Poverty combined with lack of opportunity combined with vast wealth differences always produces these kinds of things (although that has nothing perhaps to do with the Euro porn stars cited as having come to Marrakech).
I should note that the physical version of this article is rather more graphic and rather longer.
Continue reading "On Sex & MENA: The Local Porn Industry"
Posted by The Lounsbury at 06:12 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
August 22, 2005
On MENA Business & Rescued Excel Sheets, a Sneak Peak
Being impossibly pleased with myself for having found a way to rescue the data which my untrustworthy Excel whacked this weekend, I thought I would share the product of that work (well a sample) and a quick note on something I intend to expand upon.
[Update, hmmm, I obviously don't know what I am doing with the image taggery, but if one reads discussion below one sees the image better/ Fixed -E]
Continue reading "On MENA Business & Rescued Excel Sheets, a Sneak Peak"
Posted by The Lounsbury at 06:04 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 17, 2005
Tel Quel, Maghrebine Media and the Fine
My dear Bou Araadvrak, to use a Maghrebine form, has bring [edit: ahem brought, I of course meant to write brought, maybe brings.... well no matter, self corrected, defending my reputation for some marginal level of literacy] attention to something breaking in the fine Moroccan kingdon, the fining of the outre French language publication, Tel Quel.
Well, what do I think?
(update with further thoughts)
Continue reading "Tel Quel, Maghrebine Media and the Fine"
Posted by The Lounsbury at 03:58 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 11, 2005
Market Madness or Brilliance? US Gov Private Equity for MENA Announced (cross from Aqoul main)
At the risk of descending into flackery or something approaching it, I thought a brief comment here might be fun.
OPIC BOARD APPROVES $75 MILLION FOR MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA FUN
Certainly this plays into my personal interests. (and in this cross post I indulge in them)
Posted by The Lounsbury at 06:22 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
August 01, 2005
How (Not) to Execute Meaningful Privatisation Policy
I found this morning, despite being rather dead due to perhaps a bit too much scummy extracurricular sportingness, and a terrible weekend being surprised by a face to face with some fuqaha as part of the ongoing transaction to close the Apartment Plus Joint Venture, myself a bit upset with policy issues.
The Moroccan government, in all its (non-)brilliance announced that it was selling off the State sugar refineries in block (good thing) to the King's holding company in a rather peculiar result from the international tender it ran.
Continue reading "How (Not) to Execute Meaningful Privatisation Policy"
Posted by The Lounsbury at 03:21 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
