The Cordoba Update 10-23.02.2015
1) MOROCCO
» 22.02.2015: A Protest for the “20th February Movement” in front of the Moroccan Parliament
After four years of the Moroccan youth movement, which arose in the context of the Arab youth movements of the “Arab Spring”, a protest was organized in the city of Rabat last Friday evening in front of the Moroccan Parliament by activists who called for the realization of changes that tens of thousands of Moroccans had demanded on February 20, 2011.
Activists in the 20th February Movement and human rights activists have chosen to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the Movement in a new way by documenting the history of the Movement from its beginning, arising out the “great injustice” that members of the Movement had experienced. Indeed, the Mediator Association for Democracy and Human Rights has issued a book that documents the first year of the Movement by dealing with the context in which the Movement had arisen, the stages of its inception, the most important events of the Movement’s first year, the interaction of the political, union and civil bodies with the Movement, and the testimonies of the Movement’s youth from different backgrounds (political, syndical and civil). The book documents also all the marches and protests of the Youth Movement during the “Arab Spring”.
Link for more information :
http://www.alquds.co.uk/?p=299949
2) LIBYA
» 23.02.2015: Increasing Difficulties in the Dialogue Process
UNSMIL’s dialogue efforts has become the latest causality of the aftermath of ISIL’s ruthless execution of 21 Copts in Sirte, and the Egyptian regime’s retaliation air raids on reportedly ISIL assets in Derna, in northeast Libya. The deteriorating security situation in Libya over the last couple of weeks was already not conducive for the holding of the second round of political dialogue between the Tripoli-based GNC and the Tobruk House of Representatives. The latter announced on Monday February 23 that in the light of the GNC’s non-condemnation of the deadly bombing in Qubba, east of Libya, which left over 40 dead, the HoR has decided to suspend its participation in a fresh round of talks that was scheduled for this week in Morocco. Keen observers of Libyan affairs think that ISIL’s emergence in the Libyan theatre would very likely deal a major blow to UNSMIL’s efforts to revive the dialogue process. The integration of Khalifa Hafter in the political and military structures of the Tobruk-Thenni government would complicate prospects for a political compromise between the two rival bodies in Tripoli and Tobruk. Despite the fact that Cairo’s request to obtain a UN umbrella for military intervention in Libya has so far been dismissed, Algiers is growing more concerned by the multi-faceted conflict in Libya. At a joint conference meeting with British foreign secretary Philip Hammond in Algiers on Thursday February 19, Ramtane Lamamra, Algerian foreign affairs minister, reaffirmed Algiers’ opposition to any military intervention in Libya, including the lifting of ban on arms exports that is sought by Egypt and some Gulf countries.
Link (s) for more information :
http://www.libyaherald.com/2015/02/23/un-dialogue-meeting-in-morroco-in-doubt-after-hor-votes-to-pull-out/
http://elwatan.com/international/les-negociations-entre-tripoli-et-tobrouk-reprendront-cette-semaine-les-libyens-presses-de-trouver-un-compromis
3) TUNISIA
» 23.02.2015: Tunis Adopts “Positive Neutrality” towards Libyan Conflict Stakeholders
In the aftermath of aggravation of an already deteriorating situation in Libya, Tunis has apparently judged it wiser to adapt its policy towards the rival governments in Libya (GNC’s Hassi government and HoR’s Thenni cabinet) and adopt “positive neutrality” as Taieb Baccouche, Tunisian minister of foreign affairs, put it on Monday February 23. In practice, Tunis would appoint a consul in Tripol, and another in Tobruk. As has continued to happen since the 2011 uprising in Libya, Tunisia has found itself enmeshed in the complexities of the Libyan conflict. Already home to around 1.5 million Libyan refugees, the recent ISIL attacks has prompted an influx of Egyptian immigrants from Libya into the country. Over 1,000 Egyptians have been evacuated via Tunisia’s Djerba airport over the last week. Tunisia also has its own battle with extremist armed groups. Last week, 4 soldiers were killed in clashes in Boulaaba, 20 km from Kasserine, near Mount Chaambi on the Tunisian-Algerian border. Tunis has a delicate balancing act to consider: given the presence of thousands (estimated at 3,000) of its nationals in Jihadi groups in Syria, Iraq, and Libya, it cannot afford to join Egypt’s calls for military intervention in Libya, but it cannot also ignore the growing threat to its security from the south and to its east. Then there is Algeria that is key to Tunisia’s fight against extremist armed groups positioned on Mount Chaambi. The two countries have been involved in lengthy negotiations to agree a form of common defense pact that would include the right of hot pursuit, exchange of intelligence and a common operations command on the border. Tunis would be considering all these factors when Sameh Shoukry, Egyptian foreign minister, arrives in Tunis, on Wednesday February 24.
Link (s) for more information :
http://www.lapresse.tn/23022015/96239/la-tunisie-se-tient-a-egale-distance-de-toutes-les-parties-en-libye.html
http://www.kapitalis.com/politique/27656-le-ministere-de-l-interieur-reagit-a-l-attaque-terroriste-de-boulaaba.html
http://www.ibtimes.com/islamic-state-caliphate-libya-depends-tunisian-foreign-fighters-desert-training-camps-1822318
http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2015/02/24/shoukry-begins-international-tour-strengthen-foreign-relations/
4) EGYPTE
» 19.02.2015 : Les relations Qatar-Egypte se dégradent
Depuis décembre et à travers la médiation du roi Abdallah d’Arabie saoudite, les relations Qatar-Egypte tendaient à se normaliser après une période de fortes tensions suivant la chute de Mohammed Morsi. Or, il semble que la tendance se soit à nouveau renversée. Après les frappes aériennes égyptiennes sur l’EI en Libye en réponse à l’exécution de 21 coptes d’Egypte, le Qatar a été le seul membre de la Ligue arabe à émettre des réserves quant à un communiqué affirmant « la pleine compréhension » des Etats de la Ligue pour ces frappes. Tareq Adel, représentant égyptien à la Ligue arabe a alors accusé le Qatar de soutenir le terrorisme.
Jeudi 19, le Qatar a, quant à lui, rappelé son ambassadeur du Caire expliquant ce geste par la demande de l’Egypte de lever l’interdiction sur la fourniture d’armes au gouvernement de Tobruk, ce à quoi le Qatar s’oppose, craignant que cela empire la situation entre les deux parties en conflit en Libye au détriment des civils. Le Qatar souligne qu’il ne faut pas confondre la lutte contre le terrorisme et le meurtre de civils.
Lien(s) pour plus d’information :
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/17063-gcc-rejects-egypts-terror-charge-against-qatarhttp://arabi21.com/story/810075/
5) YÉMEN
» 20.02.2015 : Accord sur la formation d’un pouvoir législatif de transition
L’envoyé de l’ONU au Yémen, M. Jamal Benomar, a annoncé vendredi un accord sur la formation d’un pouvoir législatif. Alors que le Parlement, à forte sympathie pour les Houthis, restera en place, un « Conseil transitoire du peuple » doit être établi, qui comprendra les éléments non représentés au Parlement. La moitié des sièges, dont le nombre n’a pas encore été révélé, reviendra à des membres du Sud, tandis que les femmes seront assurées de 30% des sièges et les jeunes de 20%. Le « Conseil national », formé de ces deux chambres, sera chargé de l’adoption des lois relatives à la période de transition. La formation d’un conseil présidentiel, ainsi que celle d’un gouvernement n’ont pas encore trouvé d’accord.
Les Houthis ont salué cet accord, y voyant la solution la plus appropriée pour sortir de la crise. Or, certains observateurs restent sceptiques sur l’avancée réelle que représente cet accord, attendant de voir sa mise en application. Pour certains, la disposition du groupe Ansar Allah à laisser participer les autres forces politiques à la prise de décision doit encore être attestée par des faits. Des représentants du parti Islah, principal opposant aux Houthis, ne donnent pas long avant la faillite d’un accord qui aurait été atteint par la contrainte.
Lien pour plus d’information :
» 21.02.2015 : Le président démissionnaire Hadi retire sa démission après avoir fui la résidence surveillée
Le lendemain de l’annonce de l’accord sur la formation d’un pouvoir législatif, le président démissionnaire Abd Rabbo Hadi, assigné à résidence surveillée par les Houthis depuis le début de l’année, a réussi à fuir Sanaa et à rejoindre sa ville d’origine, Aden, dans le sud. Il y a tenu samedi un discours annonçant le retrait de sa démission, retrait qu’il a rendu officiel dans une lettre envoyée au Parlement lundi soir. En outre, il y a assuré son engagement aux closes de l’initiative du Golfe et y a félicité les Yéménites qui « exprimaient leur rejet du coup d’état ».
De nombreux gouverneurs de provinces du sud et aussi du nord se sont déplacés vers Aden pour assurer personnellement leur soutien à Hadi.
Il semblerait que de nombreuses parties engagées dans les négociations parrainées par l’envoyé de l’ONU, Jamal Benomar, auraient donné leur accord de principe pour un déplacement des négociations dans un lieu sûr, loin de Sanaa sous le contrôle des Houthis, comme Hadi en a fait la demande depuis Aden.
Lien(s) pour plus d’information :
http://arabic.cnn.com/middleeast/2015/02/21/yemens-hadi-flees-capital-plans-withdraw-resignation
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/17114-yemens-hadi-holds-onto-own-legitimacy
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/02/yemen-abd-rabbu-masnour-hadi-150224001628332.html
http://www.aljazeera.net/news/arabic/2015/2/23/
6) SAHEL
Mali:
» 16.02.2015 Initial declaration signed between parties to the negotiations
Parties to the peace process have been in Algiers since February 10, but the 5th round of negotiations officially started on February 16 in a very tense atmosphere marked by a multiplication of violent attacks and clashes between MNLA and Gatia since January. A declaration was signed last Thursday by the government of Mali and the 6 armed groups – MNLA, HCUA, MAAM, MAA-dissident, CPA and CM-FPR – that establishes and calls for the respect of an immediate ceasefire. All parties should also respect and implement the provisions of other ceasefire agreements from May and July 2014 and participate actively in the round of negotiations in an open, constructive and inclusive spirit. This is a first step towards the signature of a comprehensive peace agreement that is expected to result from this last round of negotiations. The MAA-dissident group, through its leader Ali Idriss Hamaha, announced last Wednesday that it is leaving the Azawad Coordination and will join the government. It is the second departure of a prominent leader of the Coordination, after colonel Hassane Ag Mehdi, leader of former combatants of the MNLA and HCUA, left last January.
Link for more information :
http://www.aps.dz/algerie/tag/dialogue%20intermalien
The Council of Ministers decided last Wednesday that municipal, regional and Bamako district elections will take place on 26 April 2016 “wherever it is possible”, despite the instability and insecurity that prevail in Mali.
Link for more information :
Chad :
» 21.02.2015 Visit of French Minister of Foreign Affairs to Chad
The French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Laurent Fabius, undertook a short visit to N’Djamena last Saturday as a first round of visits planned to Cameroon and Niger. The aim of these visits is for France to show its solidarity towards countries engaged in the fight against Boko Haram. It is also an advocacy call for the international community to commit to support the regional African military coalition against Boko Haram. The countries located around Lake Chad are planning to present to the UN Security Council by the end of the month a resolution that will lead to the establishment of this regional coalition. In response to the heavy engagement of Chad against its forces, Boko Haram conducted for the first time on February 13 an armed attack on the territory of Chad and threatened Chad with further retaliatory measures if it continued its military intervention against the Islamist group.
Link for more information :
http://www.afrik.com/boko-haram-s-attaque-au-tchad-et-fait-cinq-morts
Nigeria :
» 21.02.2015: Recapture of the City of Baga by the Nigerian Army
The Nigerian Military announced this Saturday that they had taken the control of the strategic city of “Baga” in north-east Nigeria, on the shores of Lake Chad. This city fell in early January into the hands of Boko Haram, who had led their deadliest attack for six years. Meanwhile, the armed group is continuing its strategy of terror. A seven year-old girl out a suicide attack this Sunday, blowing herself up and causing the death of five people.
In an interview with the Time Day Newspaper, the current president and the leading candidate in the 28th March presidential elections, Goodluck Jonathan, declared this Sunday that his government had underestimated the capacity of the group. He hopes to stop the atrocities of the group in time for the elections.
Link (s) for more information :
http://www.jeuneafrique.com/Article/DEPAFP20150221180353/d-fense-terrorisme-boko-haram-arm-e-nig-riane
http://www.jeuneafrique.com/Article/ARTJAWEB20150223085156/politique-d-fense-terrorisme-boko-haram
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.
