July 31, 2000 - 88th. Issue -

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Energy/Corporate
SONATRACH TO SUPPLY GAS TO SPANISH POWER PLANTS , TO INVEST IN REGANOSA PROJECT
The Algerian oil and gas company has signed a supply agreement with the Spanish company Reganosa which is in charge of building and operating a gas terminal in Ferrol, north-west of Spain.

Moroccan Economy
5-YEAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN ADOPTED AND SETS 5% GROWTH RATE
The House of Representatives (Lower House of the Moroccan Parliament) adopted on July 15, 2000, the 2000-2004 economic and social development plan, by 87 votes. 20 parliamentarians voted against the plan after a two-day debate.

Crisis in the Maghreb
Arms Deal To Worsen Morocco-Qatar Relations
Relations between Morocco and Qatar have already taken a bad turn in early July when the Gulf country decided to pull its support for Morocco’s WorldCup bid. This time, things are getting worse over a more dangerous issue: military equipment and assistance to the Polisario Front.

Housing in Algeria
RIOTS OVER HOUSING DISTRIBUTION
Between 3,000 and 4,000 people rioted last week in the city of Sidi Bel-Abbes, western Algeria in reaction to a highly contested housing distribution program led by the local government.

Labor Affairs
Bank Employee Unions and Algerian Finance Minister to Start Talks on Labor Issues
On August 5, the finance ministry, Abdelatif Benachenou, and representatives of the banking, finance and insurance trade unions will begin a first round of talks aimed at addressing issues related to sector reform, modernization, and labor. Bank privatization is not on the agenda and labor officials say they are not worried about this topic at present.

Moroccan Media
MOROCCAN JOURNALISTS DISAPPROVE DRAFT PRESS LAW
The Moroccan journalist community represented by the SNPM union (Syndicat National de la Presse Marocaine) says it is opposed to the proposed law regulating the press. Issues of freedom of speech have been raised by journalists who fear the new law would provide repressive tools to the government.