Author: Sharif Abdel Kouddous

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Egyptian soldiers standing at an army roadblock in Cairo (photo: Reuters)

The state's stranglehold over Egyptian society

Egypt's 1984

President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi's steps to quash dissent surpass those of the Mubarak era in scope and intensity. There is hardly any area of civil life that has not been left untouched by the raft of recent measures to assert control. By Sharif Abdel KouddousMore

After the release of Egyptian blogger Alaa Abdel-Fattah: Freedom of expression at an all-time lowInterview with the Egyptian human rights activist Gamal Eid: A warning shot for civil societyThe economic power of the Egyptian army: Everything under controlMore mass death sentences in Egypt: The breakdown of Egypt's legal system

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Land of nomads and desert: Mauritaniaʹs extremely hot and arid climate explains its very low population density. In 2009, the country had just 4 million inhabitants spread over 1 million square kilometres. The Adrar plateau, located in the north of the country near Atar, is known for its gorges and dunes

Mauritania, land of desert and contrasts

Mauritania straddles the transition between the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa, its population is equally divided between Africans and Arabs. Berber women carefully veil themselves with colourful 'melhafas', their feet decorated with henna, while Wolof women show off their beautiful skin glistening with shea butter. By Pascal Mannaerts (www.parcheminsdailleurs.com)