Maghreb Edition
The North Africa Journal – November 19, 2018: Algeria is having some diplomatic kerfuffle with France and Switzerland these days. With the French, the feud is about new limitations in issuing Schengen visas to Algerian members of parliament. With the Swiss, the resurrection of a legal case against a former Algerian top general, Khaled Nezzar, is irking Algiers.
A conversation with Dr. Kate Schecter, President and CEO of World Neighbors, on how community-led development works in practice across the Global South.
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Trade between Algeria and France fell by roughly 23% in the year ending June 2026, dropping below €9 billion as import controls and political tensions reshape the relationship. Algeria’s tighter oversight of foreign purchases has sharply reduced French exports—particularly in food, automotive equipment, and industrial goods—while energy-driven exports to France also declined. The figures point to a broader shift as Algeria diversifies suppliers and reduces reliance on its former primary trading partner.
A reported plan for a Moroccan military outpost in Gaza is raising questions about Rabat’s regional strategy. While participation in a multinational stabilization force could be framed as humanitarian and security support, a visible troop presence inside an Israeli-controlled area risks political backlash at home and abroad. The proposal highlights the tension between Morocco’s ties to Israel and its longstanding positioning as a supporter of Palestinian interests.
Sudan’s army is gaining ground in North Kordofan, securing key transport routes that could support a broader push west toward Darfur. But battlefield advances are unfolding alongside a deepening national crisis, with power grid failures, disrupted agriculture and local conflicts compounding the country’s instability. But this latest military momentum is unlikely to resolve Sudan’s widening humanitarian and infrastructure challenges.
