Morocco-Algeria: Broken friendship

Once close, the Moroccan and Algerian peoples “no longer know each other, no longer speak to each other, no longer love each other” because of tensions between the two countries over the Sahara issue. At least, this is the observation made by François Soudan, editorial director of Jeune Afrique.

Different times, different customs, they say. In his latest editorial, François Soudan, editorial director of Jeune Afrique magazine, shows how Morocco and Algeria have gone from being close neighbors whose peoples love and help each other to countries and peoples divided by the Sahara issue. According to the publication, Moroccans have long believed that the vast majority of Algerians did not follow their leaders, that the crisis with Morocco did not concern them, that the Sahara did not interest them, that they had other priorities, and that once the borders were opened, we would see scenes of fraternity everywhere. “But decades of slogans, quarrels and misunderstandings have had their effect, generation after generation. Today, among young people on both sides, prejudices, distrust and mutual misunderstandings dominate. Olympic medals are no longer a source of common pride, but of competition,” notes the French journalist. According to him, the people of the two countries “no longer know each other, no longer speak to each other, no longer love each other.”