During a reception organized at the Élysée on Thursday, September 30, French President Emmanuel Macron revealed the real reasons for tightening the granting of visas for Moroccans , Algerians and Tunisians.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said on Thursday that Algeria had assured him of the "continuity of supply" of gas, despite the rupture of relations with Morocco.
Morocco risks encountering difficulties in securing gas supplies on October 31, the date on which the concession contract for the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline expires. The kingdom is already looking for an alternative with Spain.
The decision by France to reduce by 50% the granting of visas for Moroccans and Algerians and by 30% for Tunisians is provoking a reaction from the Moroccan branch of the National Office of French Abroad. It denounces this project and calls for its outright withdrawal.
France is now taking a firm stance towards Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, which do not allow the return of their expelled nationals. Minister Gérald Darmanin affirms that as long as these countries do not take back their compatriots, "we do not accept them". On Tuesday, Paris decided to reduce visa issuance by 50% for Moroccans and Algerians and by 30% for Tunisians.
Algeria’s decision to close its airspace to Moroccan civilian and military aircraft and those with a Moroccan registration number does not appear to have a significant impact on the national airline, Royal Air Maroc (RAM) .
It’s official! Algeria is boycotting the next men’s Africa Cup of Nations handball, scheduled for January 13-23, 2022 in Morocco. The reason is the diplomatic rift, but above all, the decision of the organizers to hold this competition in Laâyoune and Guelmim.
France has decided to tighten the granting of visas for Moroccans, Algerians and Tunisians, thus carrying out its threat . It had warned that it would drastically reduce (50%) visas if Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia did not agree to issue the consular laissez-passer necessary for the return of their nationals rejected from France.
The tensions between Morocco and Algeria continue to elicit comments. Pierre Vermeren, professor of contemporary history of the Maghreb at the University of Paris I, believes that the Maghreb is the big loser in this crisis.
Soulaimane Cheikh Hamdi, a Mauritanian expert in international security, a specialist in the Sahel, and also a researcher in geopolitics and defense policies, believes that a low-intensity conflict is quite probable in the coming months between Morocco and Algeria.
Algeria has gradually launched an economic war against Morocco with whom it broke off diplomatic relations due to "hostile acts" towards it on August 24.
The definitive breakdown of diplomatic relations between Algeria and Morocco will not be without consequences for part of Africa. Moussaab Hammoudi, a political science researcher at EHESS, believes that Libya and the Sahel will suffer.