
Former Tunisian President Warns of Growing Rift Between Maghreb Nations
Former Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki is concerned about the growing divisions between the peoples of the Maghreb, especially between Algerians and Moroccans.

Former Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki is concerned about the growing divisions between the peoples of the Maghreb, especially between Algerians and Moroccans.

While Algerian dates are unwanted in Morocco, Tunisian distributors have found a way to outwit Moroccan importers.

Morocco is consuming more and more Tunisian dates. Last December, the Kingdom of Morocco became the leading importer of this fruit, absorbing nearly 20% of Tunisian exports.

The year 2024 proved to be complicated for trade relations between Tunisia and Morocco. Tunisian exports to the kingdom recorded a constant decline throughout the year, according to figures from the National Institute of Statistics in Tunisia.

Recently declassified documents from the United States shed light on the diplomatic negotiations around the issue of the Moroccan Sahara in the 1980s, during the reign of King Hassan II.

Tunisia would seek to normalize its diplomatic relations with Morocco. The country would like to appease the tensions that arose after the reception of Brahim Ghali, the leader of the Polisario, by the Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed, during the Africa-Japan summit held in Tunis in 2022.

The British government advises its nationals against any travel to the borders of Algeria with Tunisia, Libya, Niger, Mali and Mauritania. On the other hand, it qualifies the border with Morocco as a "safe" destination.

While Morocco maintains more flexible access to its territory, Tunisia is imposing a new measure on French travelers.

Faced with the drop in olive production and the sharp rise in the price of olive oil, Morocco is turning to Spain, Tunisia, Italy and France to import virgin and extra virgin olive oil.

Tunisia seems to want to draw inspiration from Morocco to revive its national football team. The Transition Committee, tasked by FIFA with straightening out the Tunisian Football Federation, is eyeing Vahid Halilhodžić, the Bosnian coach who qualified the Atlas Lions for the 2022 World Cup.

The era when dual national players from Morocco, Algeria or Tunisia dreamed of defending the colors of France to the detriment of their countries of origin seems to be over.

The Foreign Office (UK Foreign Office) has placed several countries including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Iran on the list of destinations that its nationals should avoid due to the risk of an escalation of the conflict between Tel Aviv and Tehran.