Tunisia, Algeria agree on tighter ties
2009-08-07
Two of the Arab Maghreb's key players, Tunisia and Algeria, have agreed to deepen their relations around several key economic, political, and migration matters.
By Jamel Arfaoui for Magharebia in Tunis – 08/07/09
 [File] Algerian Minister for Maghreb and African Affairs Abdelkader Messahel met with his Tunisian counterpart to discuss co-operation on issues ranging from trade to migration. |
Tunisian and Algerian officials on Wednesday (August 5th) wrapped up meetings that achieved agreements on a range of migration, trade and cultural issues.
Algeria and Tunisia need to "raise relations between the two brotherly countries to the highest levels" and to tightly weave their "fabric of mutual interests," said Abdelhafidh El Hargam, the Tunisian secretary of state for Maghreb, Arab, and African affairs, at the opening of the two-day session of the Tunisian-Algerian High Joint Commission.
In the session, the committee negotiated nine co-operation agreements in the economic, commercial, cultural and educational fields, and updated their "outdated" 1963 settlement agreement to reflect current bilateral migration trends.
Central to the committee's two-day session was the human face of migration and economic issues, in which both sides have a vested interest. A total of 19,500 Algerians are registered as living in Tunisia, by Algerian Foreign Ministry estimates; Tunisians living in Algeria number about 16,000, according to the Tunisian Expatriates Department.
Both sides pledged to guarantee fair treatment for expatriate communities in order to improve their living conditions, with the aim of enabling such migrants to help the two countries build an "exemplary partnership in the region".
Algerian Minister for Maghreb and African Affairs Abdelkader Messahel, who chaired the session along with El Hargam, highlighted the human dimension of bilateral relations in his opening speech.
While acknowledging that "some outstanding problems" required more problem-solving by the two countries, Messahel stressed the need to "make the effort required to re-organize and adapt the human ties and communication between Algeria and Tunisia."
Reflecting on the importance of enhanced economic bonds, El Hargam said it was important to "accelerate the qualification of the legal framework for co-operation in the banking and financial field to keep up with the constant development of economic relations between the two countries and to complete the bilateral projects proposed in the fields of transport, land transport in particular."
Algeria and Tunisia signed a preferential trade agreement in December 2008, and are engaged in ongoing talks to establish a free trade zone between the two countries. Last year, by committee estimates, bilateral trade reached $1.2 billion.
Analysts and ordinary citizens of both countries were both cautiously upbeat about the session's outcomes.
Ben Hadid, an Algerian residing in Tunisia, voiced doubts that a new agreement covering property rights for the two countries' expatriate communities would meet expectations, saying, "These committees pretend to be doing something, but, in fact, they can’t be effective."
"Opening a small trade shop requires a license that takes months and years to get," said Ben Hadid. "And selling land inherited by an Algerian from his father, who lived and settled for decades in Tunisia, requires a license from the governor. However, that license will be obtained only when the land loses its real value because of inflation."
However, Noureddine Jaffal, an Algerian born in Tunisia, expressed optimism that the pace would finally pick up on resolving long-standing issues.
"The most important thing is that they finally remembered us and started examining our problems as Maghreb citizens who want to have equal rights in any Maghreb country we live in," said Jaffal.
Commentators and political analysts also weighed in on the commission's progress and relations between the two countries.
"We must, at least procedurally, officially separate cross-border trade from the smuggling that extends along the entire border, year-round, and that includes a wide variety of commodities and products," political analyst and Maghreb affairs specialist Nasredine Ben Hadid said in a statement to Magharebia. "At the same time, we shouldn’t forget what Algerian tourists bring back from Tunisia."
Algeria and Tunisia hold "close views on several issues, such as the Mediterranean Union", Nouredine Lembarki, of the newspaper al-Watan noted. "The political aspects of Algerian-Tunisian relations have in recent years been linked to fighting terrorism, which is a danger threatening the two countries," he added.
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نصر الدين بن حديد Posted 2009-08-07
Algerians in Tunisia, or at least most of them, live miserable conditions as a result firstly of negligence by Algerian authorities and mainly because of the injustices and abuses by influential sides in Tunisia. I have personally carried out a census on the basis of documents and legal evidence of over 40 cases. In these cases, influential people deprived Algerians of their properties without right. The state didn't react and justice didn't restore their rights. It can be affirmed, on the basis of the UN standards and standards of the American Department of State that Algerians in Tunisia are effectively an oppressed minority. There is no exaggeration about this. This requires a quick and urgent intervention by the international community. I will state, as an example, what Mr Abdelaziz Ayadi (who was then a representative in the legislative council in the 1970's) did. He deprived the land of my family and gave it to his followers. What happened is similar to what we see in colonies in the Western Strip. We have documents but we don't own the land. This former deputy declared at the time (this is registered in justice) that he had taken the land of anyone because, as he said, Algerians don't have the right to property in Tunisia. The same reasoning is followerd by Afikour Liberman in Israel. There is no difference between the two. The United Nations and major countries especially the United States should develop the principle of “legal asylum” instead of political asylum because the political act is a voluntary act. However, the right to legal protection is the original situation which should be provided by the international community for every individual who is victim of an injustice when he lives in a country outside his own country. President Barack Obama who entered politics from the gate of humanitarian associations is required to give major priority to this issue because the individual cannot think about entering politics when his rights are violated within “non peaceful” frameworks. We see the reflections of this through the dilapidation of state countries and development of other forms of affiliation (tribe or football team). This makes the future – this is not pessimism - gloomy. I say it and repeat it, I hope there will be a consideration of the topic at least through precise media coverage which exceeds minutes.
جميلي م أ Posted 2009-08-08
Salam alikum. Honestly, tightening relations between two Maghreb countries such as Algeria and Tunisia in this steady way reflects the implementation of mutual dependency in international relations. This gives more power to the regional country. But is there no competition between Arab Maghreb states? Doesn't one of its states aspire to achieve leadership and pioneering principle on the detriment of others? I think there are hidden intentions by every state to achieve leadership in North Africa. This is their right, yes their right. A greeting to the staff of the premiere newspaper in the Arab World, “Magharebia”.
belhocine hacene president association Posted 2009-08-11
It is true that the fraternal relations between the two peoples of Algeria and Tunisia do not date back just to yesterday, but they do need to be updated in order to the current stage of things according to the example of large unions throughout the world. And this is all the more so when our two peoples share such an affinity for one another. As such, it would suffice to do away with the barriers for the good of our peoples. -Thank you
BEN Posted 2009-08-13
We can always dream of a normalization in terms of the Maghreb, but it will always just that. Our Tunisian friends need to thank their Moroccan friends for having supported this Algerian-style rapprochement, given that the political meeting grounds of Algeria and Morocco never stops reminding us of the need for a serious normalisation.
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