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Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Mauritania combats rural illiteracy

2011-08-01

A four-day training workshop for literacy teachers opened Sunday (July 31st) in Nouakchott, Journal Tahalil reported. Upon completion of the training program, the teachers will lead literacy classes for adults in Thermessa, Kerkaratt and other rural areas with vulnerable populations. Mauritanian NGO "Espoir" organized the literacy education seminar as part of the national three-year project to fight poverty (PLPV).

Source: Magharebia.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2011/08/01/newsbrief-06.

Algeria, Morocco ink natural gas deal

2011-08-01

Algeria and Morocco signed a ten-year natural gas deal on Sunday (July 31st). Under the contract signed in Algiers between Sonatrach and Morocco's state electricity office (ONE), gas will be delivered from the Pedro Duran Farell (GPDF) pipeline in southern Algeria to the Ain Béni Mathar and Tahaddart power plants in Morocco.

Source: Magharebia.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2011/08/01/newsbrief-04.

Tunisia temporarily closes Ras Jedir border crossing

2011-08-01

Tunisia closed the Ras Jedir border crossing on Sunday (July 31st) after Libyan refugees attacked and damaged police and customs offices, TAP reported. Libyan refugees trying to return to their country on the eve of Ramadan reportedly became frustrated by the slow pace of customs procedures. The border crossing reopened once order was restored.

Source: Magharebia.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2011/08/01/newsbrief-03.

Dozens found dead on Libyan refugee boat

2011-08-01

Italian coast guard officers on Sunday found the corpses of 25 young men aboard a boat near Lampedusa, ANSAmed reported on Monday (August 1st). After Italian officers boarded a 15-metre-long raft carrying 296 harragas, including women and children, they found the bodies in an engine room "accessible only through a 50-centimeter wide trap door", RFI reported. Investigators suspect the immigrants died of asphyxiation from a gas leak.

Source: Magharebia.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2011/08/01/newsbrief-02.

Algeria reaps bumper harvest

Cereal crop yields remain at a high level but the country has yet to overcome its dependency on agricultural imports.

By Mohand Ouali for Magharebia in Algiers – 01/08/11

For the third year in a row, Algeria is expected to benefit from an unusually high cereal crop.

This year's domestic harvest is estimated at 4.5 million tonnes, Algerian National Cereal Office (OAIC) Director General Noureddine Kehal announced on July 18th.

The crop will be Algeria's third-largest since independence, behind the all-time record of 6.2 million tonnes in 2009 and last year's 4.55 million tonnes.

Agriculture Minister Rachid Benaissa described the expected yields as "excellent" in eastern Algeria, "average" in central regions and "poor" in the west due to the drought.

More than 2.7 million tonnes have already been gathered, according to Kehal. The harvest will continue until late August. Cereal-growers send their produce to cooperatives. In contrast with previous years, Kehal claimed, producers are being paid in "record time" – 48 hours after delivery of their produce.

To encourage producers to improve their yields, the government adopted in 2008 a system of guaranteed minimum purchase prices.

Algeria also embarked on a policy of assistance to invigorate the sector. The measures include loans to enable cereal-growers to buy seeds, fertilizers and plant disease control products, interest-free harvest loans, subsidization of the prices of fertilizers and plant disease control products, lease financing for the purchase of tractors and combine harvesters, as well as technical support.

Despite the growth of production, Algeria remains one of the world's biggest importers of wheat. Two years ago, the country imported almost 6 million tonnes but reduced its imports by half a million last year.

Since the beginning of this year, wheat imports have begun to rise again. Algeria imported about 4 million tonnes of wheat over the first half of 2011, up by a million over the same period last year, according to the CNIS. The biggest suppliers are France, Canada, Germany and the United States.

"Algeria has got a good deal recently by importing a good amount of durum wheat," Benaissa said at a July 9th press conference. "The national consumption for the rest of 2011 is virtually guaranteed."

According to the customs office, the cost of wheat imports last year dropped by about one-third compared to 2009.

Algeria relies heavily on food imports. During the first six months of 2011, the government spent almost US $5 billion on imported food, compared with $3 billion over the same period in 2010, according to the National Center for Data Processing and Statistics (CNIS).

The government sought to take advantage of falling wheat process and the decline of the euro to boost its savings and prevent any market disturbances before Ramadan, when consumption traditionally soars.

"I call on all professionals to ensure that the supply on the market is as rational as possible during Ramadan in order to avoid any speculation in relation to products based on durum wheat and common wheat," Benaissa said on July 11th.

The minister gave orders for the quotas of durum and common wheat allocated to manufacturers within the cereal sector (semolina mills and flour mills) to be raised by 10% from July 15th onwards.

Source: Magharebia.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2011/08/01/feature-02.

Date set for Mauritanian elections

2011-07-31

Mauritania's parliamentary and municipal elections will be held on October 16th, PANA quoted a statement of the government as saying on Saturday (July 30th). However, Mauritania's opposition, recently bolstered by migration from the ruling majority, has set the postponement of elections as a precondition for taking part in national dialogue.

Source: Magharebia.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2011/07/31/newsbrief-06.

Tunisia extends voter registration deadline

2011-07-31

Tunisia's Independent High Electoral Commission (ISIE) extended the deadline for voter registration in the October 23rd elections to August 14th, TAP reported on Saturday (July 30th). The closing date was previously set for August 2nd. Registration offices will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and mobile registration offices will be ready to receive citizens during Iftar.

"Only 16% of the total number of … identity card holders have registered to vote for the Constituent Assembly," TAP quoted ISIE chairman Kamel Jendoubi as saying at a press conference on Friday. "This situation is below what we hoped for."

Source: Magharebia.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2011/07/31/newsbrief-05.

Moroccan king calls for better Algeria relations, timely elections

2011-07-31

In a televised Throne Day speech on Saturday (July 30th), King Mohammed VI of Morocco renewed his call for normalized relations with Algeria. Speaking before civilian and military leaders and foreign diplomats, the monarch said: "We are keen to launch a new open dynamic on resolving all remaining problems, as a prelude to total normalization of bilateral relations... including the reopening of terrestrial borders."

He also called for prompt parliamentary elections, in order to create "a new government from a coherent, solidarity-bound parliamentary majority". "Political parties are asked to redouble their efforts in favor of the reconciliation of citizens, particularly the young, with political action," he said.

Source: Magharebia.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2011/07/31/newsbrief-04.

Algerian experts criticize food subsidy policy

Although food subsidy has done much to stabilize a fluid social environment, economists warn that the policy is fraught with danger.

By Ademe Amine for Magharebia in Algiers – 31/07/11

Algeria needs to re-consider its food policy to achieve sustainable development and economic growth, analysts and politicians argue.

The food subsidy measures, adopted in January to blunt widespread social riots, are inefficient and do not favor long-term growth, according to participants in a recent round-table held by monthly magazine Algeria Invest.

"We must not go any further down this path, which is completely suicidal for this country," warned economist Salah Mouhoubi at the July 18th event.

He called for "investing in production sectors instead of handing out subsidies without compensation".

"Although the slight upturn that the country is experiencing makes this policy viable at present, it’s clear that in different circumstances, if the upturn falters, it will bring serious problems for the country," Mouhoubi added.

Forum of Company Directors (FCE) chief Reda Hamiani also criticized the government’s methods of protecting the purchasing power of the poorest segments. "We do not agree with the way these subsidies are being applied at the moment," Hamiani said during another discussion, organized by Algeria Invest on Monday (July 25th).

The subsidies "are not targeted at the least well-off," he said. "This is a general subsidy that benefits both rich and poor, and also neighboring countries through smuggling networks."

In his view, "this support should be given at source – that is, to producers – to help them increase supply, which is the only way of bringing prices down".

The government is trying to ease social problems by "acting like fire-fighters in its attempt to cut prices to a level that everyone can afford", according to Hamiani.

Trade Minister Mustapha Benbada said a few weeks ago on a national radio that "the Algerian government might soon run out of funds to subsidize essential items".

"Subsidies for basic necessities cost the government 300 billion dinars each year," he added. "We need to prepare alternatives to reduce this bill."

The measures were adopted to stem January social riots, which broke out in a total of 24 of the country's 48 wilayas and left five people dead. The unrest, which was triggered by increases in the prices of oil and sugar on the domestic market, caused the government to hold down the costs.

The Algerian cabinet agreed to lower the custom duties and taxes on sugar and other foodstuffs by 41% as a temporary act to cut prices. The subsidies were due to be capped by August 31st but will remain in place for a longer period due to persisting tensions.

The abolition of taxes on raw materials imported for the production of vegetable oil will cost the treasury 27 billion dinars, Benbada said.

In addition to subsidies, Algeria also relies heavily on imports. During the first six months of 2011, the government spent almost US $5 billion on imported food, compared with $3 billion over the same period in 2010, according to the National Centre for Data Processing and Statistics (CNIS).

The bill for crop imports doubled to more than $2 billion over the first half of 2011, according to the same source. This massive importation of durum wheat in order to deal with the concerns over couscous shortages that arose at the beginning of this year appears to be connected to food smuggling, which has become more prevalent across the Tunisian and Libyan borders since the outbreak of political turmoil in these countries.

Source: Magharebia.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2011/07/31/feature-01.

Violent clashes in Indian-administered Kashmir after youth dies in custody

SRINAGAR, KASHMIR (BNO NEWS) — At least six people were injured on Sunday during violent clashes between government forces and protesters in Indian-administered Kashmir following the death of a youth in police custody.

According to eyewitnesses, hundreds of people took to the streets to stage pro-freedom and anti-India demonstrations in Sopore town of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the Kashmir Dispatch reported. Demonstrators marched to protest the custodial death of Nazim Rashid, who was arrested by police on Saturday.

The protesters were demanding stern action against the policemen responsible for the death of the youth, when the police deployed in strength used batons to disperse them. In retaliation, angry youth pelted stones on the forces. 



“Forces lobbed several tear gas canisters after they failed to break up the demonstration. At least six youth suffered injuries in the clashes,” eyewitnesses said, as cited by the Kashmir Dispatch.

Later, thousands of people participated in the funeral prayers of the youth who was allegedly killed in police custody on Sunday morning. Chanting “We want freedom” and “Nazim your blood will bring revolution,” the mourners carried the body of the slain youth in a procession that passed through different localities.

Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the killing as a gross human rights violation, as reported by the Greater Kashmir. Meanwhile, other media reports said that two cops had been placed under suspension over the alleged killing.

Police are currently investigating the incident.

Last week, protesters also clashed with security forces in Kashmir after they went on a rampage over the alleged abduction and rape of a woman by unidentified army personnel.

A guerrilla war has been going on between militants and the Indian troops stationed in Muslim-majority Kashmir, which is divided into parts administered by India and Pakistan. Militant groups are usually blamed for attacks, while soldiers have been accused of rights abuses.

The government says more than 45,000 people – including civilians, militants and troops – have died in the region over the past two decades.

Sunday, July 31st, 2011

Source: WireUpdate.
Link: http://wireupdate.com/wires/19171/violent-clashes-in-indian-administered-kashmir-after-youth-dies-in-custody/.