Next neighbouring countries’ conference to be held in Algiers before end of this month

Algiers will host a fresh meeting of Libya’s six neighbours by the end of March, Algeria’s Minister of Maghreb Affairs, African Union and Arab League Affairs, Abdelkader Messahel, has told a local Algerian local radio station. However, he said that before the meeting the six countries – Tunisia, Algeria, Niger, Chad, Sudan and Egypt – wanted to know whether the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would appoint a new special envoy to Libya or continue with Martin Kobler. Guterres announced his intention to appoint former Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad last month as…

AUSTRALIAN COOPER ENERGY COMPLETES INTERNATIONAL WITHDRAWAL

Australian independent Cooper Energy has ceased all international operations with the closure of operations in Tunisia and the completion of the sale of Indonesian operations to Bass Oil, it said March 2. Its portfolio is now solely concentrated on Australian assets. Cooper Energy has received initial consideration of A$500,000 (US$382,600) and 180,000,000 shares in Bass Oil. The balance of the A$5.7mn is to be received via A$2.27 million in deferred payments with the final payment received by December 2018, and receivables as they fall due, the company stated. “Our withdrawal from…

Thomas Cook and TUIfly to resume Tunisia flights

Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium (HQ, Brussels National) has announced that it will resume flights from Belgium to holiday destinations in Tunisia on April 8, following a relaxing of travel advice to the Mediterranean North African country. The holiday specialist will start by offering a weekly service to Enfidha on the eastern coast. Flights were suspended in mid-2015 following terrorist attacks at resorts near Sousse in which 38 people, mostly British tourists, were killed. A report in the Guardian last year found that tourist numbers from Europe to Tunisia have declined…

German chancellor to visit Egypt, Tunisia to discuss migration

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to visit Egypt and Tunisia with an agenda of discussing the migration issues facing Europe that emanate from human trafficking in North Africa. In a two-day visit beginning on Thursday, Merkel will first meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo before heading to Tunis to hold talks with Tunisia’s President Beji Caid Essebsi on Friday. Merkel’s meeting with the Egyptian president will feature the discussion of such issues as bilateral relations between the two countries, with a specific focus on refugees and irregular…