Our results in very summary form:
MOROCCO was actually damaged least by no maglevs, in part due to having a leader commonly known to be uncommonly able. One hardly need be as intelligent as His Majesty King Mohammed VI to appreciate what happens when Casablanca becomes a multi-modal port moving people and good between South America, Europe and northern Africa. In December 2003, Spain and Morocco had agreed to explore the construction of a nine-mile undersea rail tunnel to connect their rail systems across the Strait of Gibraltar. We had high hopes.
ALGERIA had become a major natural gas and oil exporter. These commodities are expensive to find, extract and transport. We had considerable concerns that Algerian population and financial obligations were increasing faster that petrochemical revenues. Were there to be a world-wide or even just European economic downturn and subsequent pressure to use locally produced bio-fuel and solar power Algeria would be in serious trouble. Besides the rail construction, planting Jatropha and producing vast solar arrays would be terrific for Algerians.
TUNISIA had done well encouraging its tourist industry. It was clear Tunisia not only had the most to gain from maglevs but also stood to lose the most from no maglevs. Lacking the petroleum exports of a country like Algeria, were there to be a world-wide or even just European economic downtown Tunisia would fall faster and further than anyone else. We strongly suggested that the Tunisian government focus on investing in education and medical care as opposed to spending, lest declining conditions incite popular dissatisfaction.
LIBYA in many scenarios emerged as a conduit for countries like Chad, Mali and their southern neighbors. As was in the case in Tunisia, a great deal depended on how the next generation of technical and political leaders was nutured.