Zawaya

Adel Rochdy

Adel Rochdy is a Tunisian journalist with a background in political science and law.

Opinions by this panelist

How parents conciliate between the expenditures of Ramadan and the start of the school year

Managing the family budget is not an easy task in normal times, let alone when families are facing additional costs of the different life cycles in Tunisia. Sometimes, timing is "ruthless" and has little respect for the budgets and financial… more

The Maghreb countries remain cautious while preparing for the risks of a pandemic

Knowing whether swine flu is a potential real pandemic, or a manipulation of the global public opinion in order to make huge profits requires considering two aspects, the first is purely health-focused and the second takes into account economic criteria.… more

Better governance would boost environmental preservation programs

Environmental issues are a major new challenge for the Arab Maghreb States. Global warming and its consequences such as drought, desertification, floods, re-emerging diseases, declining agricultural productivity and economic growth; are all issues that require the mobilization of considerable financial… more

The Human Development Index cannot be taken seriously

As we all know, the Human Development Index (HDI) is a set of statistics that measures the degree of development of countries. The HDI replaces the old United Nations indicator which included economic factors only. The United Nations Development Program… more

Employment: A serious challenge and prickly problem for Arab countries

With an unemployment rate of around 14%, and four million graduates joining the job market every year, Arab countries need to urgently develop a comprehensive strategy in order to resolve the issue of employment. The first Arab conference on employment,… more

Aid and security interventions create dependence

Aid provided to troubled regions is different from security interventions, since the former is based on humanitarian grounds, while the latter are legitimized by the risk of destabilization of a country or a region, which directly threatens the interests of… more

The government, UN and volunteers to conserve historic sites and neighborhoods

The conservation of historical sites, neighborhoods and monuments should be included in the list of duties taken in charge by the State, and among the obligations of citizens just like tax payment. Vestiges, sites, and ancient neighborhoods that are part… more

Energy: Sharing the Maghreb's wealth and opting for solar energy

Reducing energy dependence is among the major challenges posed to the Maghreb countries, especially the non-oil producing ones, i.e. Morocco and Tunisia. The Arab Maghreb countries are structurally and politically very different. For example, the GNP is much higher in… more

Moroccan Initiative for Human Development: Monitoring is important but more investment is needed

The Moroccan initiative for human development is definitely praiseworthy, but it is not unique since there are similar experiences in other Maghreb countries, namely in Tunisia. This initiative is about the implementation of means and structures aimed at creating stable… more

We'd better keep food subsidies

Food subsidies are a recurrent issue in the Maghreb countries. Every crisis is an opportunity for these States to threaten to cancel food subsidies, and practice the policy of real cost pricing. It is well known that for certain basic… more

Stopping illegal immigration of minors is possible

Illegal immigration towards Western Europe is a phenomenon that emerged at the end of the last century, and that is still a major concern as it continues to threaten the Maghreb youth. Commonly called "Hargua or Harka" throughout the region,… more

The employment issue in the Arab Maghreb: Bureaucratic obstacles should be removed

The official unemployment rates in the Maghreb are worrisome, varying between 12 and 14 per cent in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, and exceeding 30 per cent in Mauritania. The reports issued by regional or international organizations reveal some facts, and… more

Fighting road accidents by using more radars, improving roadway conditions and changing attitudes

Road accidents are a worrisome social dilemma that leads to many deaths and injuries, and heavy material damages. Maghreb countries, like many others around the world, also suffer from this calamity caused in most cases by irresponsible driver behavior. In… more

Preventing floods requires land use planning, forest rehabilitation and information sharing between countries

Once again, floods have caused casualties and huge economic damages, as Maghreb countries still fail to anticipate natural disasters despite several warnings issued by the United Nations and NGOs. The issue is obviously not about controlling the flow of rainfall… more

Working conditions in the Maghreb: Incomplete debate with social partners and flouted legislation

Working conditions in the Maghreb are still far below international standards, but to varying degrees in each country. There are generally two distinct categories of workers: employees in the tertiary sector (administration and services), and workmen in the industrial and… more

Theocracies are outdated

The Tunisian people decided to break free, and its will enabled it to chase dictatorship away. The Jasmine Revolution is a unique example in the entire world. It was a revolt against the arbitrary and the lack of freedoms. The… more

Democracy to guarantee economic recovery and development

The popular uprising in Tunisia and social protests in other Maghreb countries do not destabilize their respective economies; they rather augur a better and promising future. Tunisians rebelled against absolutism, political stagnation, the systematic looting of their economy, and -… more

To build trust, we need an institution monitoring the government

The post-revolution in Tunisia is an equation with many unknown variables. First of all, how can the effectiveness of the transitional government be ensured whereas a large part of the population, the leftist political parties and even the Islamist party… more

SMEs, the only sustainable driving forces for Maghreb economies

Since the Maghreb common market is still a pipe-dream, creating SMEs in disadvantaged regions can help jump-start the economy. Encouraging entrepreneurship is a key issue for the Maghreb countries in the midst of the current serious job crisis. The unemployment… more

Arab monarchies fall out of fashion

This is yet another unilateral decision confirming that the Arab Maghreb is consistent with the nation-state model and ignores the common strategy aiming to unify the Maghreb countries. By joining the Gulf Economic Council, Morocco shatters the unification dream that's… more

Tunisian elections will shape the political future of the Maghreb

Tunisia is getting ready for a historic event. On October 23, 2011, more than seven million voters will head to the polls to elect the members of the National Constituent Assembly, which will be in charge of establishing a new… more

Terrorism may be in its last days after the Arab spring

Arab revolutions have significantly changed the future prospects of Arab peoples who are about to fully embrace the era of democracy, characterized by a real multiparty system and elections that will most probably be transparent. Terrorism that had been a… more

Immigrant investment: Restore trust, simplify procedures and change attitudes

The contribution of Maghreb immigrants to the economic development of their home countries has been much debated. Immigrant investment is raising the interest of Maghreb countries, as it creates wealth and job opportunities. The economic contribution of immigrants has been… more

Incorporate the fight against corruption into the Constitution

What is the cost of corruption for Maghreb peoples? A lot of money, certainly. But beyond numbers, corruption hinders development and increases poverty rates. How many contracts were unnecessarily awarded to incompetent people, thus enriching corrupt middlemen? How many bright… more

Reactivating the AMU will take time

The Arab Maghreb Union has long been an ideal for people in the region. Its formal establishment in 1988 lit a beacon of hope, before falling into disuse and bumping into the primacy of nation-states and the selfishness of the… more

The Sahel: Skills to eliminate dependency, while terrorism remains a threat

The African Sahel, which consists of the sub-Saharan band from Senegal to Ethiopia, is suffering from drought, rampant desertification and a recurrent threat of famine. The causes of this alarming situation are both objective and subjective. Socioeconomic conditions vary from… more

Merchants profit from Ramadan shopping frenzy

The holy month of Ramadan is much awaited by Muslims each year. Paradoxically, it is when Muslims refrain from eating and drinking, from sunrise to sunset, that household consumption spikes. It all begins with the supply. Muslim families tend to… more

Jobless youth caught in political impasse

With a youth unemployment rate estimated at over 30 %, Tunisia has cause for concern. One year after the January 14 Revolution, in which they were the main actors, young people still anguish over the uncertain future. Since the available… more

What about a referendum on Maghreb integration?

Everyone agrees that the process of building a greater Maghreb has failed. Everyone knows that the common political and economic institutions established since the nineties are not working. Maghreb people and elites understand very well that the economic integration of… more