The Century Project.. Algeria announces the completion of a road linking its borders with Tunisia and Morocco

The Century Project.. Algeria announces the completion of a road linking its borders with Tunisia and Morocco

    Sunday, August 13, 2023   No comments

Algeria announced, on Saturday, the completion of the “East-West Highway,” which starts from the country’s western border with Morocco and reaches its eastern border with Tunisia, with a length of 1,216 km.

This came during the inauguration of the Algerian Prime Minister, Ayman bin Abdel Rahman, the last section of the road that connects the city of Daraan (Al-Tarif Governorate in the far east) with the Tunisian border at a distance of 84 km, according to state television.

Thus, Algeria has completely completed the completion of this road, which began to be built at the beginning of the new millennium and was called the “Project of the Century”.

According to official figures of the Algerian government, the total cost of the road exceeded 13 billion dollars, and it was supposed to be completed in 2012.

The project experienced delays due to technical and administrative problems, and at that time a corruption case erupted, known as the “scandal of the century,” and the trials ended in 2015 with the Algerian judiciary issuing prison sentences and financial fines against those involved.

And the Algerian authorities relied on the immediate exploitation of every section of the road that was prepared, until it was completely completed, on Saturday.

Bin Abdul Rahman called for activating road maintenance networks and ensuring that it is suitable for vehicle traffic.

The last section of the road allows for an increase in the volume of trade exchanges with Tunisia, in addition to ensuring the smooth movement of people between the two countries.

The "giant road" is located within an economic and commercial integration scheme drawn up by the Union of Arab Maghreb States, to link the land of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, but the differences between Algeria and Rabat and the closure of the land borders between them since 1994 prevented the completion of the road scheme.

And the Algerian Prime Minister, Ayman bin Abdel Rahman, inaugurated the last section of the road, which connects the city of Daraan (Al-Tarif Governorate in the far east) with the Tunisian border, at a distance of 84 kilometers, and thus Algeria has completely completed the completion of this road, which began construction at the beginning of the new millennium, and was named with the "Project of the Century".

The Algerian Prime Minister said that Algeria "now has the longest road network on the continent, with a distance of 141,000 km, of which 9,000 km are highways, according to international standards."

Bin Abdul Rahman called for "activating road maintenance networks and ensuring that it is suitable for vehicle traffic." The last section of the road allows for an increase in the volume of trade exchanges with Tunisia, in addition to ensuring the smooth movement of people between the two countries.

In this regard, bin Abd al-Rahman said that this road is "the artery of the economy, and we are working with an economic approach to endorse development and end isolation," pointing out that "although the Dhara'an section was completed by foreign institutions, the project involved many competencies and hands." qualified Algerian worker.

The East-West Highway is of paramount importance, in terms of the economic, developmental and social dimension, and its completion means the complete opening of the motorway that connects 17 northern Algerian states, out of 58 states, that make up the Algerian Republic, and also connects Algeria with other Arab countries.

Western Sahara: The Polisario movement's 16th congress began its conference to renew its leadership

Western Sahara: The Polisario movement's 16th congress began its conference to renew its leadership

    Friday, January 13, 2023   No comments

The Polisario Front, seeking to obtain the right to self-determination in Western Sahara, began its conference to renew its leadership, in the context of severe tensions between its ally Algeria and Morocco, which controls 80% of this region.

The conference will be held in the presence of more than 2,200 members of the Front and 370 foreign guests over a period of five days, 175 kilometers south of the Algerian city of Tindouf, in the Dakhla refugee camp, which bears the name of a coastal town in Western Sahara, an area rich in phosphates and fisheries at the heart of an ongoing conflict. half a century ago.

Polisario leader Brahim Ghali, 73, who enjoys indispensable support from Algeria, appears confident of his re-election at the conference, which kicks off at noon on Friday.

"This is the first conference since the resumption of the armed struggle" at the end of 2020, Mohamed Yeslam Bessat, the representative of the Sahrawis in South Africa, told AFP.

A decades-old dispute has been taking place over Western Sahara, which Morocco controls most of its territory, and considers it an integral part of its territory, proposing to grant it autonomy under its sovereignty, while the Polisario Front, supported by Algeria, is calling for its independence.

It is a major cause of tension in relations between the two Maghreb countries, as Algeria cut off diplomatic relations with Rabat since the summer of 2021.

A ceasefire resolution in force since 1991 was violated, in mid-November 2020, after the deployment of Moroccan forces in the far south of the region to expel the Polisario fighters who were blocking the only road leading to Mauritania and considered it illegal because it did not exist when the agreement was reached with Rabat.

Since then, the Polisario Front says it is "in a state of war in self-defense" and has declared "a war zone for all the territory of the Sahrawi Republic, including land, sea and air."

The conference takes place at a time when Western Sahara is at the center of escalating tensions between the two powerful states of the Maghreb.

Algeria effectively cut off its diplomatic relations with Morocco in August 2021 due to deep differences over this file and the security rapprochement between Rabat and Israel.

And after the recognition of former US President Donald Trump's administration at the end of 2020 encouraged Morocco's sovereignty over this region in exchange for rapprochement with Israel, Rabat has since increasingly used its diplomatic activity to mobilize the support of other countries for its positions.

The 16th conference is being organized under the slogan "Escalating Fighting to Expel the Occupation and Complete Sovereignty."

And ending with the convening of the conference, the governorship of Ghali, who succeeded in July 2016 the historical leader Muhammad Abdel Aziz, who died a few weeks ago. In addition, Ghali is the president of the “Sahrawi Arab Republic,” declared unilaterally in 1976.

The representative of the Polisario Front in Geneva, Omaima Abdel Salam, confirms that “the last word will be for the Sahrawi people during this conference. The position of Secretary-General is not exclusive to anyone,” refuting press reports about a struggle to succeed Ghali.

She explained, “So far, there is no list of candidates for the position of Secretary-General. These are just rumours.”