Algeria Resumes Gas Deliveries to Morocco Despite Diplomatic Tensions

The tanker Alrar of the Algerian oil company Sonatrach docked at the ports of Jorf Lasfar and Mohammadia between November 21 and December 1 to deliver liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to Afriquia Gaz, the gas and fuel distribution company of the head of the Moroccan government, Aziz Akhannouch. This delivery surprised more than one, because Algeria, which has launched an economic war against Morocco, definitively closed the gas tap to its western neighbor against the backdrop of a diplomatic crisis. Algeria refused to renew the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline (GME), which connects Algeria to Spain via the kingdom.

Questioned by Sputnik, an internal source at Sonatrach justifies the delivery of gas to Afriquia Gaz by the fact that a contract links the company of the head of the Moroccan government to the Algerian national company. "The relationship between Afriquia Gaz and Sonatrach goes back several years. Algeria has become one of the main suppliers of LPG to the Moroccan company. The contract runs until December 25, 2021," this source assures. A contractual relationship confirmed by Taoufik Hammoumi, CEO of Afriquia Gaz.

"Algeria has a contract and it must respect it until the end of December, it is obliged to honor it. I am not aware of all the details of this delivery, it may be for the closing of an ongoing commercial contract. Globally, we are required to honor our commitments, especially for a large company like Sonatrach. Otherwise, it is its brand image that takes a hit."