The case of the Algerian opponent Amira Bouraoui, exfiltrated by the French consulate in Tunisia, revealed the fragile foundations of the new Franco-Algerian ties, but also the weakness of a Tunisian regime under the influence of Algiers.
The exfiltration of Algerian activist Amira Bouraoui sparked a new rift between Paris and Algiers as the two new partners attempted to warm diplomatic relations. Indeed, the Algerian opponent had fled to Tunisia seeking to return to France, but she was arrested at an airport and appeared before a judge who acquitted her before escaping Algerian justice.
In a post, the regional media “The North Africa Post”, returned to the implications of the Amira Bouraoui affair for the relations of France, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.
Algerian secret police attempted to kidnap Bouraoui in Tunisia, the outlet said. An attempted kidnapping aborted thanks to the direct intervention of the French consular services which offered him their protection, thus sparing him persecution at the hands of the military junta.
« Algeria responded hysterically as usual by recalling its ambassador and using its official news agency to issue threats of an upcoming severance of ties with France.« , a écrit The North Africa Post.
Today, Algeria finds itself in a difficult situation since it has sought to outbid and play the card of terrible anger except that it has come up against the coldness of France, which has made it a non-event. Algiers no longer knows how to get its ambassador to return and the longer the situation lasts, the more the crisis will set in.
According to Tunisian media, the Tunisian President, Kais Saied, who contributed to this affair against the interests of Algeria, was put under pressure exerted by France so that he lets Amira Bouraoui go to his second country.
The African news site, which provides global analysis, said the new chapter shows the failure of Macron’s policy of rapprochement with a brutal military regime that has “turned Algeria into a big prison for journalists and dissidents. peaceful”.
Regarding Morocco, the media, believes that the French president and his advisers, focusing so much on repairing the past (in Algeria, editor’s note) “have undermined the present and the future of French diplomacy by adopting hostile positions towards Morocco« .
“Nor did Macron listen to foreign French experts and diplomats, including ex-ambassador to Algiers Xavier Driencourt, who warned of an imminent social and economic collapse in Algeria that will drag France down its path. path “, writes the Maghreb media.
Meanwhile, Tunisia is on the verge of losing its financial sovereignty as it heads into default, a situation Algeria has used to vassalize its neighbor. Tunis is now the cemetery of Algerian opposition figures, deplores the same source.
Let us recall that it was reported that several Tunisians, in particular teachers, were mistreated in Algeria because of this affair following “high guidelines”. Social media abounded with videos showing the mistreatment at the border between the two neighbours.
In addition, Algerian authorities have banned Tunisian citizens from transiting Algerian goods to Tunisia since February 9 as the country experiences its worst nightmare in decades characterized by an unprecedented crisis.
“France must understand that friendship with the military regime in Algiers is expensive. The first is to turn a blind eye to the repression in Algeria as well as to conform to the hegemonic agenda of Algiers at the expense of regional peace and stability,” conclut The North Africa Post.
For Tunis, which needs the West and its cooperation with France, it is already paying the price for its bow to the regime in Algiers, and its cooperation with Paris to let Bouaroui out immediately triggered reprisals from Algiers.
On Tuesday, the Algerian and Tunisian presidents had to talk to each other after the events that shook their respective countries and tune their violins to continue to maintain this relationship of servitude which serves the two heads of state to continue to stay in power despite their strong unpopularity. .