Western Sahara conflict
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50 years of occupation in Western SaharaThe "pearl of the south" is still not free
Morocco celebrates Sahrawi heritage through state TV, tourism campaigns and festivals. But self-determination for Western Sahara remains a distant prospect, while the central government deepens its hold on the territory through major development projects.
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Morocco-Algeria arms race"The solution requires political courage"
Tensions between Morocco and Algeria are fuelling a frantic arms race. Moroccan researcher Hicham Mouatadid traces the roots of the rivalry and calls for a solution that goes beyond the Western Sahara conflict to address regional security as a whole.
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Aziza Brahim's "Mawja"The voice of Western Sahara
Aziza Brahim's childhood as a Sahrawi refugee in Algeria naturally shaped her music, but as her latest album, "Mawja" shows, while she has not forgotten where she comes from, she has long since tuned her ears to a world beyond the camp perimeters
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Migrant destination EuropeEU gatekeeper Morocco leverages its own interests
Morocco is intensifying its gatekeeper role in EU migration, stopping 87,000 migrants in 2023. Key to the deal is European acceptance of Morocco's claim to disputed Western Sahara
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Italy and Algeria cooperate on energyAlgiers is banking on Europe's gas rush
Following the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's visit to Algeria, both countries are seeking to expand their energy cooperation. This will, however, only further cement Algiers' dependence on the gas rush. By Sofian Philip Naceur
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Algeria at 60No more lethargy – Algiers’ passive foreign policy is over
For the first time since 1989, Algeria‘s authoritarian regime has sent a military parade marching through Algiers. A formidable show of strength designed to impress rival regional powers, the event also sought to highlight the country’s own stance on Israel and Palestine. By Sofian Philip Naceur
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Algeria‘s gas reservesIs defending the environment terrorism?
Algeria‘s regime is again cracking down on anti-fracking activists and the unemployed in the country‘s south. Yet EU countries remain keen to scale up their energy cooperation with Algiers, despite the reprisals faced by environmentalists. By Sofian Philip Naceur
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Western SaharaIs a gas crisis with Algeria on the horizon for Spain?
Madrid's about-face on the Western Sahara conflict has enraged Algeria. Trade relations have been frozen unilaterally and a cut in gas supplies to Europe could be in the pipeline. By Ralph Schulze
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Western Sahara conflict"One day we will be free"
Sultana Khaya, 41, has been peacefully resisting the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara for many years. Because of her campaign to assert the self-determination of the Sahrawi people, she was assaulted and raped. She has been under house arrest for over a year. Interview by Elisa Rheinheimer
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Morocco and SpainWhat price Madrid and Rabat's "historic" reconciliation?
Since Spain abandoned its traditional neutrality towards the conflict in Western Sahara, Morocco has announced a "new phase" in relations between the two countries. But what is the price of Spain's support for autonomy in the Sahara? Mohamed Taifouri analyses the situation for Qantara
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Arabs attend Negev summitIsrael moves centre-stage in the Middle East
A straightforward message emerged from last week’s meeting in the Negev desert of the foreign ministers of four Arab countries, Israel and the United States: Israel is key to the security of Gulf autocracies and continued U.S. engagement in the Middle East. By James M. Dorsey
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COVID-19 fallout in MoroccoTangiers' economic boom – few winners and many losers
Business in the Moroccan city of Tangiers is booming due to its location at the nexus of global trade routes. But many locals are failing to reap the benefits. What they crave most is the resumption of international tourism and the attendant influx of revenue. Stefanie Claudia Muller reports from Tangiers
