#7days of Maghreb

🇲🇦 Morocco

• Concerns about civility: As the Africa Cup of Nations approaches and with the World Cup on the horizon, entities such as the Moroccan Center for Citizenship are promoting civility as a national issue. The goal is to project a positive image of the country ahead of the tournament.
• Relations with Russia: The foreign ministers of Morocco and Russia held a phone conversation aimed at strengthening political dialogue and bilateral ties. Both countries are seeking to expand their cooperation in various strategic areas.
• Morocco enters the gold market: The country aims to join Africa’s gold powerhouses after discovering high-grade deposits. This find is expected to boost its position in international mineral markets.
• New Chinese infrastructure contracts: Chinese company CSCEC Steel Structure secured contracts to supply steel for the Kenitra-Marrakech high-speed rail line and several highway sections. This agreement strengthens China’s penetration into Moroccan infrastructure.
• Euro-Mediterranean summit in Rabat: The capital hosted a “High-Level Retreat on the Future of Euro-Mediterranean Relations,” an unprecedented initiative with the participation of government representatives (such as EU Commissioner Dubravka Suica and the Secretary General of the UfM), financial institutions, and private actors.
• Criticism of Israel: Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita strongly condemned Israeli statements on Gaza and the deportation of Palestinians, calling them “dangerous and unacceptable,” as well as contrary to international law and regional peace.
• Connection with Mauritania: The construction of the road linking the city of Esmara (Western Sahara) with Mauritania is nearing completion. Begun in 2012, the project seeks to facilitate exchanges between Morocco and Mauritania and add an alternative to the Guerguerat crossing at the far south.

🇲🇷 Mauritania

• Support for Qatar: President Ghazouani called the Emir of Qatar following the recent Israeli strike in Doha against Hamas leaders. He is also traveling to Qatar to attend the extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit on the attack, with participation from representatives of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
• “Mauritanides 2025”: Launched this year under the slogan “Mauritania, Land of Opportunities”, the business fair showcases the country’s mining and energy wealth. Its inauguration was attended by President Ghazouani and several ministers.

🇩🇿 Algeria

• Solidarity with Qatar: Algiers condemned the Israeli strike on Doha as a “brutal and unjustified act” and expressed solidarity with Qatar. It also argued that Israel’s attack rejects any peace process and drives the region into a “dangerous spiral.”
• New government confirmed: President Tebboune confirmed Sifi Ghrieb as prime minister, previously appointed on an interim basis. Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf and Deputy Defense Minister General Saïd Chengriha remain in key posts, while Mohamed Arkab retained the Hydrocarbons and Mines portfolio, separated from the Ministry of Energy and Renewable Energies, now assigned to Mourad Adjal.
• U.S. military visit: The head of U.S. Africa Command’s Special Operations visited Algiers, where he met the Commander of Algeria’s Land Forces. Following the meeting, the U.S. Embassy praised Algeria’s regional leadership in combating terrorism and organized crime.
• Malian drone issue: Algeria denied receiving any notification regarding Mali’s alleged case before the ICJ over a drone shot down at the border. This was intended to dispel rumors of a diplomatic escalation between the two countries.

🇹🇳 Tunisia

• Gaza aid flotilla attacked: According to members of the humanitarian flotilla Global Sumud, one of its vessels was attacked by a drone while docked in the Tunisian capital. Although the National Guard initially denied drone involvement, blaming the fire on a cigarette left on life jackets, after a second attack the Interior Ministry labeled both incidents as a “premeditated aggression” and announced an investigation.
• Saïed’s reforms: The president urged Prime Minister Zaafrani to simplify the administration and denounced the influence of “foreign lobbies.”
• Foreign visits: Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti hosted his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan, and Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araqchi, on consecutive days in Tunis, amid heightened regional tensions after Israel’s attack on Qatar.
• African Corridor: The Trade Minister revealed details of the Africa Gateway, a corridor spearheaded by Tunisia that aims to transform regional trade by linking the country with the Sahel through Libya. The initiative seeks to position Tunisia as a logistics hub.

🇱🇾 Libya

• Meeting in Rome: Saddam Haftar and the nephew of GNU Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah met in Rome in the presence of White House envoy Massad Boulos and Italian FM Antonio Tajani. This was the highest-level meeting between the rival families in three years.
• Investigation in Italy: Giusi Bartolozzi, chief of staff to Italy’s Justice Minister, is reportedly under investigation in the case of Libyan Osama al Najem (aka Almasri), who was repatriated earlier this year despite an ICC arrest warrant against him.
• Rejection of Turkey-Libya MoU: According to Greek newspapers, Libya’s House of Representatives has rejected the memorandum of understanding signed by Tripoli’s GNU with Turkey to delineate maritime borders and exclusive economic zones.
• Agreement in Tripoli: The Government of National Unity and the armed group Special Deterrence Force (aka Radaa) reached an understanding through Turkish mediation. The deal includes the militia’s withdrawal from Mitiga Airport, its restriction to a single base in Tripoli, and the transfer of its prisons to the Ministry of Justice.
• Libyan migration: Italy and Turkey signed an agreement to curb irregular migration from Libya. The move follows last August’s mini tripartite summit (Erdogan–Dbeibah–Meloni) in Istanbul.