The Cordoba Update 03-09.02.2015
1) LIBYA
» 08.01.2015: Ghadamas II Political Dialogue
Echoes from Tripoli let believe that a UNSMIL’s new round of political dialogue between the GNC and Tobruk’s House of Representatives (HoR) would take place on Wednesday 11 February in Ghadamas, southwest of Tripoli, on border with Algeria. On the eve of these talks Nouri Bousahmin, president of the GNC, addressed an open letter to the EU Parliament in which the Congress reiterated its conditions for dialogue with the HoR, under the auspices of the UN. Under the political dialogue section in the letter, the GNC set four conditions as necessary for a successful dialogue. First, respect of the Constitutional Declaration and the Supreme Court’s decision of 6 November 2011. Second, establishing a taskforce to form a national unity government that would oversee the remainder of the transition period during which the constitution drafting committee would deliver its tasks. Besides, the GNC insists that no foreign intervention of any kind would be part of the implementation of any outcome of the dialogue. This is understood as a response to Bernardino Leon’s talk to the FT a couple of weeks ago discussing a possible peace-keeping force on the ground in Libya. The GNC also insisted that no legal immunity would be given to anyone wanted by the Prosecutor (i.e. Hafter would not be part of any political dialogue nor agreement). On the ground, clashes between Hafter’s armed group and Benghazi’s Revolutionary Council fighters intensified over the last few days resulting in dozens killed on both sides.
Links for more information:
http://unsmil.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=3543&ctl=Details&mid=6187&ItemID=2000313
http://www.libyaherald.com/2015/02/08/early-end-to-benghazi-battle-may-be-premature/#axzz3RL7nvdUK
2) TUNISIA
» 09.02.2015: Habib Essid faces his First Southern Challenge
Prime Minsiter Habaib Essid’s first cabinet meeting on 9 February took place on the backdrop of violent protests in Dheheba and Ben Guerdane on the Tunisian-Libyan border. The protests were triggered by the introduction of a border-crossing tax of 30 TD ($17). Tear gas and live ammunition were reportedly used by security forces which led to the death of Saber AlMilian, a young protester from Dhehiba, gouvernorat of Tataouine. The protests then spread to nearby Ben Guerdan, Tataouine- the cradle of Tunisian south uprising of 2008 and Ben Bouzid in 2011. Essid dispatched Slim Chaker, minister of Finance and Nejib Derouiche, minister of sustainable development to Tataouine; and promised an investigation would be opened in the killing of Al Milian. The instability in south Tunisia is a very delicate political and security issue for the current government. The legacy of marginalisation of the south since Tunisia’s independence coupled with the polarisation caused by the electoral campaign statements of Beji Caid Essebsi (in which he considered that Islamists and Jihadists voted for Ennahdha) dag a gulf between the north and south of the country. Most political and public opinion leaders called for calm and dialogue to address the justified demands of southern Tunisians for better wealth and power sharing.
Link for more information:
3) EGYPTE
» 07.02.2015 : Nouvelle Fuite
La chaîne satellitaire « Mekameleen » a diffusé une nouvelle fuite dont l’origine serait vraisemblablement l’institution militaire égyptienne et visant la personne d’al-Sisi. Ces derniers enregistrements mettent en lumière le mépris d’al-Sisi et de son entourage pour les Etats du Golfe et leurs dirigeants. Le Premier ministre égyptien a réagi en déclarant que tout ce qu’entreprenaient les chaînes « d’organisations terroristes », comme les Frères musulmans, ne saurait changer quoi que ce soit à la réalité présente.
Tandis que certains soulignent que de telles fuites témoignent de fortes dissensions à l’intérieur de l’institution militaire, d’autres s’attendent à ce que ces fuites influencent négativement les relations de l’Egypte avec les Etats du Golfe.
Lien(s) pour plus d’information :
http://arabi21.com/story/808776/
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/leaks-allege-egypts-sisi-despised-and-colluded-gulf-rulers-1777692691
4) YÉMEN
» 06.02.2015 : Prise du Pouvoir par Ansar Allah
Après que les différentes forces politiques yéménites et Ansar Allah (Houthis) n’ont pas réussi à s’accorder sur la constitution d’un Conseil présidentiel, ce dernier a publié vendredi 6 février une déclaration dite constitutionnelle signée par le président du Comité révolutionnaire, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi. La déclaration annonçait la dissolution du parlement et la formation d’un Conseil national de transition. Le Conseil national, composé de 551 membres, remplacerait le parlement et élirait un Conseil présidentiel technocrate composé de cinq membres et chargé de la direction du pays pour une période transitoire de deux ans. Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, désigné nouveau président du Yémen, a ainsi appelé toutes les forces politiques et les membres du parlement dissous à participer à ce Conseil national de transition, rassurant le peuple en soulignant que personne ne serait exclu. Certains observateurs qualifient cette prise de pouvoir de coup d’Etat tandis qu’elle s’appuie sur le contrôle par la force de la capitale et de toutes les installations sécuritaires et militaires. Enfin, confronté à une forte pression internationale, Ansar Allah a accepté de reprendre les discussions engagées par l’envoyé de l’ONU, Jamal Benomar.
Lien(s) pour plus d’information :
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/06/houthis-yemen-takeover
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/08/world/middleeast/overture-by-houthis-to-ousted-officials
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-31176483
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-31252427
5) SAHEL
Mali:
» 07.02.2015 Peace negotiations jeopardized by escalating tensions between armed groups
A round-table was organized by the government last Saturday in Bamako within the framework of the Algiers peace negotiations. The main objective of this meeting was to discuss the “project agreement for peace and reconciliation in Mali” and to collect feed-back and recommendations in order to prepare the next round of negotiations that shall start next Tuesday. The opposition refused to participate, claiming that they had not been involved in the design of the terms of reference of this meeting.
The leader of the armed group Ansar Dine, Iyad Ag Ghali, who fled after the French military intervention in 2013, is allegedly back in Kidal. He is said to be living at 65km from the city and claims that his group is fully equipped with military arsenal from Libya.
In a press release from AQMI dated February 5, the armed group claims responsibility for the murder of the MNLA leader, Baye Ah Hamdy last January 26. The latter had joined the MNLA since January 2012. This press release was communicated to the Mauritanian news agency Al Akhbar and has not been commented by the MNLA though it appears on their Facebook page.
Links for more information:
http://fr.africatime.com/mali/articles/le-chef-islamiste-ag-ghali-de-retour-kidal-au-mali-selon-der-spiegel
http://www.siwel.info/Azawad-L-AQMI-revendique-l-assassinat-de-Baye-Ag-Hamdy-haut-responsable-du-MNLA
Chad:
» 04.02.2015 Massacre in Fotokol as a response to a military intervention of the Chadian army
Between 13 and 16 Chadian soldiers as well as 7 soldiers from Cameroon and around 81 civilians have been killed last Wednesday as a result of an attack from Boko Haram in the city of Fotokol, in the Northern part of Cameroon. This assault was a response from the armed group to the military intervention of the Chadian army in Nigeria on Tuesday. Nine Chadian soldiers and around 200 combatants from Boko Haram had died during the fight which allowed chasing away Boko Haram from the cities of Gamboru and Ngala.
Nigeria :
» 09.02.2015 : Report des Elections Présidentielles et Législatives de Six Semaines
Suite à des questions logistiques et en raison de mesures sécuritaires, la commission électorale a annoncé samedi soir le report au 28 mars prochain des élections présidentielles et législatives -prévues le 14 février. Le Conseiller de la sécurité nationale, Sambo Dasuki, a invoqué l’indisponibilité des forces de défense pour sécuriser le vote en raison de leur engagement contre Boko Haram. Il a également affirmé qu’aucun autre report d’élections n’aurait lieu et que tous les camps appartenant au groupe Boko Haram seront détruits dans les prochains six semaines.
Lien(s) pour plus d’information :
http://www.jeuneafrique.com/Article/DEPAFP20150208105840/
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/02/nigeria-boko-haram-camps-march-28-150209132507045.html
The views and perspectives contained in the Weekly Update are from individual contributors and external sources, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or position of the Cordoba Foundation of Geneva. The links are neither intended as an endorsement of particular publications nor the only source for the updates, but to connect to information in the public domain, for those interested in background or further details.
