Algeria’s interim president Abdelkader Bensalah appointed Kamel Feniche as the new head of the country's Constitutional Council on Tuesday after the former chief stepped down. Tayeb Belaiz submitted his resignation earlier on Tuesday following calls by protesters for him to quit. Algerians have been demanding the resignation of figures linked to the former regime of Abelaziz Bouteflika, including Bensalah. The council is notably in charge of monitoring elections and candidates for office. Algeria is set to hold presidential elections July 4, after Bouteflika resigned following weeks of street demonstrations against his two-decade rule. Read More
US Central Command chief Kenneth McKenzie met on Monday with Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud during a visit to Riyadh, Saudi Press Agency said. McKenzie also held talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, focusing on bilateral ties and regional developments. McKenzie’s visit comes as Saudi Arabia prepares to host a preparatory meeting for the proposed Middle East Strategic Alliance, billed as an “Arab NATO” to counter Iran. The alliance, first put forward by Saudi Arabia in 2017, would also include the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Jordan. McKenzie stopped by Doha on Sunday, where he met with Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Read More
A wave of disorder and conflict is threatening states across northern Africa, setting conditions for massive instability and the expansion of the al Qaeda and Islamic State threat. Protests are challenging repressive regimes in Algeria and Sudan, which share borders with a Libya in the throes of its latest bout of civil war. These events are part of a larger trend of potential state collapse that is spreading from weak states with small populations—Libya, Mali, Somalia—to larger states whose regimes have been perceived as secure—Algeria, Sudan. This trend places states with very large populations—Ethiopia, Nigeria, Egypt—increasingly under pressure. The Salafi-jihadi movement, which includes al Qaeda and the Islamic State, is best positioned to benefit from widespread instability.
Algeria’s path to success is narrow and fraught, as Emily Estelle argues in “ Algeria’s Future: What Follows Bouteflika? ” The country is at risk for elite fracturing and an army takeover that may lead to an insurgency.
Sudan’s protest movement has also reached a turning point. James Barnett argues that the subsequent power struggle could lead to civil war or state failure in "Sudan's Dictator Just Fell: What Comes Next?"
The reshaping of Algeria and Sudan—where Salafi-jihadi groups like al Qaeda have a long history—is occurring as their neighbor, Libya, descends into renewed civil war. Salafi-jihadi groups in Libya are already taking advantage of the conflict to re-establish networks and conduct attacks, as Emily Estelle assesses in “Al Qaeda and the Islamic State Will Be the Winners in the Libyan Civil War” . This piece includes an NTrepid Timestream graphic created by Emily Estelle and Mohamad El Kari.
By James Stavridis, Bloomberg: "Khalifa Haftar is marching toward Tripoli, but more conflict will only help the terrorists."