Summary: with Israel recognising Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara and Washington little interested in weighing into the debate, the Sahrawi people have suffered a significant setback in their decades long campaign for self-determination.
Summary: Trump’s granting Morocco’s claim to the Western Sahara looked a clever stroke and a big win for Israel but the road to final diplomatic recognition has hit a bump or two.
Summary: will the energy price rise caused by Putin’s war in Ukraine allow Algeria to return to a position of power and prominence in North Africa and the wider Middle East?
Summary: opportunity beckons for Algeria as Europe struggles to meet its urgent need for reliable gas supplies but much needs to change in the energy, financial and industry sectors for the country to realise its full potential as a major European gas supplier.
Summary: previously seen as a model of stability and solid economic growth, Morocco is struggling with an economy battered by COVID and the fallout from the war in Ukraine; to further complicate matters the king is in failing health and a succession battle looms.
Summary: Emmanuel Macron carried off a charm offensive with Algeria’s President Tebboune securing a rapprochement that promises much but provides little in the way of concrete details.
At number 4 in our all-time top ten podcasts is Francis Ghilès’ Algeria and Morocco: neighbours with issues released 23 July 2021. Francis is a specialist on security, energy and political trends in North Africa and the western Mediterranean, and associate senior researcher at the Barcelona Centre for international affairs. From 1981 to 1995 he was a North Africa correspondent for the Financial Times, and has written for numerous publications including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Le Monde, and El Pais.
Summary: Italy, Algeria and Tunisia share an energy nexus of interest that has the potential to alter the economic landscape for all three as Europe scrambles to free itself from its dependency on Russian oil and gas.
Summary: the war in Ukraine presents Algeria with a unique opportunity to exploit its gas reserves as Europe scrambles to ease its dependency on Russian hydrocarbons.
Summary: despite Trump’s bold claims last year, other than the UAE and Bahrain no other GCC state has stepped forward to recognise Israel.
