Moroccan reform process to engage parties, unions Morocco's new consultative committee began to receive proposals on Monday (March 28th) from political parties and trade unions as part of the national constitutional reform process. The body, headed by king's advisor Mohamed Moatassim, was established in parallel with an advisory committee set up by Morocco's King Mohammed VI. It aims to build a mechanism for co-ordination with all political forces to “finalise an in-depth democratic and constitutional review”. The committee will consolidate the Moroccan model, based on a “participatory and consultative approach”, Moatassim said at the March 21st preparatory meeting. Quake-prone Algeria says nuclear power inevitable Quake-prone Algeria said Monday that there was no alternative to nuclear power for its long-term energy needs, at a time when many countries are reassessing their stance in the wake of Japan's nuclear emergency. “We don't have any other alternative,” Algerian Energy and Mines Minister Youcef Yousfi told the national assembly during a briefing on the energy sector. The minister, who was quoted by the state news agency APS, said Algeria “must prepare itself for this choice”, noting that 10 to 15 years of studies would be needed before construction of its first nuclear power station. Japan's March 11 9.0-magnitude quake and tsunami, which has left at least 10,901 dead and 17,649 missing, also severely damaged its Fukushima nuclear plant northeast of Tokyo Tunisia denounces Israeli government call for Tunisian Jews to emigrate Tunisia's government on Monday condemned an effort by Israeli officials to entice Tunisian Jews to emigrate to Israel over concerns about possible economic hardship in the North African country. The “ill-disposed” call from Israeli officials amounted to meddling in Tunisia's domestic affairs, an effort to sow suspicion, and “an attempt by Israel to tarnish the post-revolutionary image of Tunisia,” wrote the Foreign Ministry in a statement. Tunisia's tourism industry has suffered after a popular uprising drove President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to flee in January. Roughly two-thirds of Tunisia's estimated 1,500 Jews live on the Mediterranean island of Djerba, a popular vacation getaway for sun-minded Europeans. Djerba's historic Ghriba synagogue was the target of a deadly terror attack in 2002 that left 21 people dead, including 14 German tourists, in the only major attack in Tunisia by Islamist extremists. Libya's foreign minister in Tunisia for “private visit” Libyan Foreign Affairs Minister Mussa Kussa arrived in Tunisia on Monday, passing through the border crossing of Ras Jdir for a visit described by diplomatic sources as ‘private,' Tunisia's official TAP news agency reported late Monday. ‘This visit is not official in nature,' TAP quoted an unnamed Foreign Ministry source as saying. ‘He will have no contact with Tunisian authorities,' the source said, describing his visit was ‘private.' Kussa, a former head of the security services and exterior intelligence, is not one of the members of Moamer Gaddafi's inner circle targeted by a United Nations travel ban. He has been foreign minister since March 2009. Sudan secures $350m to build airport, raise dams Sudan has secured a $350m concessional loan to build a new airport and to raise two dams from the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, officials said yesterday. Sudan, under US sanctions since 1997 and with most of its nearly $40bn external debt in arrears, is in economic crisis. It has limited access to concessional loans to develop the country — Africa's biggest by land mass — which has been scarred by decades of multiple civil wars. The south, home to about 75% of the country's 500000 barrels per day of crude oil production, is also set to secede in July, creating economic and political uncertainty that is deterring investors. Sudan is campaigning for debt relief to be able to access concessional funds from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. The loans from the Kuwait-based Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development would be for 25 years with a 2,5% interest rate, the fund said . The 175m loan for the new airport would enjoy a grace period of six years and the 175m loan for raising two dams has a grace period of seven years. BM
