EU Urged to Counter Morocco’s Influence in North Africa, Report Says

In a note entitled "Maghreb rivalries in sub-Saharan Africa: Algeria and Tunisia seek to follow in the footsteps of Morocco", the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (German Institute for International and Security Affairs) based in Berlin, which advises the Bundestag, the parliamentary assembly of the Federal Republic of Germany, has closely examined developments in North Africa.

In this note published by Isabelle Werenfels, senior fellow in the Middle East and Africa division, the institute notes that "Morocco is advancing at a pace that leaves its two neighbors, Algeria and Tunisia, behind. While Tunisia is falling into oblivion and insignificance, Algeria is trying to overcome its difficulties and catch up with Morocco, which would do everything to hinder its progress," reports Atlantico.

In the eyes of the official, this situation represents an imbalance, as European countries tend to work with the Maghreb countries individually. To reverse this trend, Isabelle Werenfels calls for a triangular cooperation with all the Maghreb countries. A cooperation that will "counter the growing sense of uselessness of Algeria, strengthen the Tunisian economy, and relativize Morocco’s hegemonic ambitions and thus mitigate the negative dynamics of rivalry."