The IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia Department is co-organizing with the Bank of Algeria a conference titled North Africa: Connecting Continents, Creating Opportunities. This conference will explore the challenges and opportunities of deeper regional integration and highlight policy priorities to advance economic cooperation. Positioned between Europe’s industrial demand and Africa’s demographic dynamism, North Africa holds a unique opportunity to serve as a strategic connector in a rapidly evolving global landscape. Closer economic linkages between North Africa, Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa can build greater resilience and shared growth across all three regions. Financial institutions can support economic integration of North Africa with Europe and sub-Saharan Africa.

For more on stories like these, be sure to check out our News page, with stories from across the regions. Byanyima said he eats little and remains weak, and that a doctor suspects a bacterial infection, though test results are pending. UN Warns 35 Million Nigerians Face Hunger as Aid Funding ShrinksNearly 35 million Nigerians could face hunger this year, including 3 million children at risk of severe malnutrition, the United Nations warned today, Thursday, January 22, citing a sharp drop in global aid funding. He appeared in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court today, declined to seek bail, and the case was adjourned to March 5 for further investigation. The program, called Horizons1000, is designed to improve efficiency and decision-making in overstretched health systems without replacing clinical judgment, Rwandan health officials said.

Jonathan Miller, Foreign Affairs Correspondent, Channel 4 News, London, UK"Since the demise of reporting on Africa in Western newspapers, and especially in the UK, in recent years, Africa Confidential has become ever more indispensable to anyone trying to make sense of the continent. Karl Maier, Africa & Middle East Editor, Bloomberg News"We regard Africa Confidential as one of our best and most reliable sources of information and analysis." Intelligence Assessment Service, Privy Council Office, Government of Canada"You are the best reporter on Africa alive. Also well organised and easy to browse through and access to the different articles." Lt. Col. Daniel Martella, Military Planning Service, Department of Peacekeeping Operations, United Nations

Prices in North Africa and Northwest Europe moved up on Thursday, as outages in Algeria tightened supply in the short-term...Ammonia prices rise in North Africa and NW Europe following Sorfert salePlease Register or Sign in to view this content. Quantum Commodity Intelligence is a premium paid subscription service for professionals in the oil, biofuels, carbon, ammonia and hydrogen markets. Quantum Ammonia service subscribers have access to:Daily price assessmentsMarket news and price commentaryFundamental trade dataQuantum Ammonia Daily - market report sent to your emailGet in touch with us for subscription information on all Quantum platforms, or help with the service.

How did the Roman province develop as an administrative unit, and what influence did it have on Roman politics? The nature of the Roman provinces changed near the end of the 3rd century when Diocletian introduced the Tetrarchy. The emperor Caracalla granted blanket citizenship to all free men living within the Roman Empire in 212 CE. List of Roman Provinces Under TrajanMap of the Ancient Roman Empire at Its Peak (117 CE). Source: TheCollector.comAt the death of Trajan in 117 CE, there were 40 Roman provinces, excluding the eleven Italian provinces.

Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) and IE University Join Forces to Develop Risk-Sharing Financial Solutions for Startups in Civil Law JurisdictionsThe Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) (https://IsDBInstitute.org) and IE University Spain, through the IE Foundation, and have launched a joint initiative to design contract models grounded in European legal frameworks and compatible with Islamic finance principles, with the objective of facilitating investment in startups. The project focuses on identifying and structuring financing instruments adapted to the needs of early-stage ventures operating in civil law systems. However, their application within civil law frameworks requires further legal development, particularly to ensure compatibility with Islamic finance principles. About the Islamic Development Bank Institute:The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) is the knowledge beacon of the Islamic Development Bank Group. The Institute leads initiatives to enable Islamic finance ecosystems, ultimately helping Member Countries achieve their development objectives.

The Tunisian Prime Ministry said all public and private educational institutions, including universities and nurseries, were closed due to worsening weather conditions. Metro services in Tunis were also disrupted, while several roads across the country were shut because of overflowing wadis. Search operations continued for four fishermen missing after their boat capsized off the coast of Monastir, as heavy rainfall persisted across large parts of the country. Meteorological authorities reported exceptionally high rainfall levels, with up to 188 millimeters recorded in some areas between Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Authorities have urged caution as adverse weather conditions continue to affect northern, eastern and western regions of Tunisia.

#AI e& enterprise Partners with Emergence to Bring Agentic AI Solutions to MENAT Enterprises The collaboration aims to help organizations unlock operational efficiencies, faster and more accurate insights, stronger governance, and higher productivity, through the deployment of advanced autonomous AI agents. Emergence is widely recognized as a leading agentic AI research lab, founded by some of the world’s most accomplished AI veterans. As part of the partnership, e& enterprise becomes a key distribution and implementation partner for solutions built on the Emergence AI platform. “This partnership marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of enterprise AI across the MENAT region. As AI becomes increasingly agentic, data governance has become one of the most critical enablers of safe, scalable automation.

Mexico sent 37 accused criminals to the United States to stand trial, part of an uptick in such transfers in recent months as the country tries to meet Trump’s demands that the country do more to combat drug cartels. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum had already acted to put in place more aggressive policies toward criminal groups before Trump was elected to office, and in early February she also deployed 10,000 members of Mexico’s national guard to northern provinces to patrol the border with the United States. But as James Bosworth wrote in WPR in March 2025, a long-term solution to Mexico’s organized crime problem is not always as simple as instituting more aggressive policing. “Combating one kind of criminal activity, such as drug production and trafficking, often provokes changes in the behavior of criminal groups, as they seek to engage in other kinds of crimes that can be just as socially and economically disruptive,” Bosworth wrote. “This has created immense challenges in the past, as authorities are forced to combat criminal groups on different fronts, while new, smaller groups tend to be more violent than large, centralized criminal enterprises.”Read more:

Wondrlab has appointed Shidush Contractor as Chief Operating Officer – Influencer Marketing. He will lead OPA and Opportune, overseeing strategy, operations and growth across the group’s influencer and creator businesses. The appointment coincides with Wondrlab taking its ‘Power of Total Influence’ approach to market, positioning influencer marketing as a connected system across the consumer journey. OPA and Opportune will operate as integrated platforms, combining influencer marketing, technology, data and creative development to support brand objectives across awareness, advocacy and action. Total Influence is about consistency, precision, and outcomes over time, and I’m excited to help bring this vision to life for brands within the Wondrlab ecosystem.”

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Cairo is set to host the inaugural edition of AI Everything Middle East and Africa from February 11 to 12, marking a milestone moment that positions Egypt at the centre of regional and global discussions on Artificial Intelligence strategy. Organised by GITEX GLOBAL and hosted by Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in strategic partnership with the Information Technology Industry Development Agency, the event brings a global AI ecosystem to the Egyptian capital. It reflects a wider ambition to establish a leadership role in AI across Africa and the Middle East at a time when global competition around data, automation and digital infrastructure is intensifying. Over two days, Cairo will welcome AI enterprises, startups, policymakers, academics and investors from more than 60 countries. With the Cairo edition, GITEX GLOBAL expands its international footprint into a region that is playing an increasingly influential role in AI development.

Solar and renewables are vying with fintech and payments as the top draws for African venture capital, with investors viewing energy projects as the most attractive on the continent’s startup scene, a study found. Fintech and digital remained the most-funded sector by volume and deal count, the London-based research company said in the sixth edition of its study. Solar energy was the top-funded category across 29 deals, driven by a surge in demand for off-grid power solutions as companies see opportunities to reach the almost 600 million people in Africa without electricity. The sector grew 26% from the previous year, with companies such as d.light, Sun King, CrossBoundary Energy, and SolarAfrica reaching deals. Francophone West Africa — particularly Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Burkina Faso — is emerging as an increasingly active hub of climate-focused companies, the report said.

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Read the North Africa Weekly on LinkedIn or join the conversation on X: @StimsonNAfricaOn Our RadarThe headlines shaping politics, security, and economics across North Africa and the Sahel. NORTH AFRICA POSTSweden publicly backed Morocco’s autonomy proposal, adding to Rabat’s diplomatic momentum on the Sahara issue. North Africa Program Director Hafed Al-Ghwell writes on how the 2025 U.S. National Security Strategy reduces Africa to a transactional resource frontier, eroding long-term American influence. VIRTUAL PANELThis Invest Africa webinar evaluates how North Africa can capitalize on its macro and logistical advantage to host resilient and export-oriented growth stories. PANELIn this Chatham House event, experts examined the key political, security, and economic dynamics to watch in MENA in 2026.