Lieutenant General Saeed Chengriha, Minister Delegate to the Minister of National Defense and Chief of Staff of the Algerian Army, confirmed on Saturday that his country is a factor of stability in its regional region, explaining that it “does not deal with the Sahel crises as an external actor, but rather as an authentic partner.”
According to the German News Agency, Chengriha said, in a speech during a working and inspection visit to the third military region southwest of Algeria, adjacent to the border with Morocco: “Algeria has been and continues to be a factor of stability in its regional region, by virtue of its constant keenness to consolidate the bonds of brotherhood, solidarity and good neighborliness, and its firm commitment to respecting the sovereignty and independence of states, in light of the principles of international law.”
Chengriha pointed out Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s emphasis on “the close connection between security and development to confront the multidimensional challenges that the Sahel region is witnessing,” highlighting that “Algeria’s efforts to help countries in this geopolitical area, economically, developmentally, and militarily, stem from its deep awareness that the security of the countries of this region represents a natural extension of its national security.”
Chengriha concluded by saying: “These endeavors have been embodied in particular in embarking on the completion of promising structured projects aimed at strengthening the common infrastructure and contributing to the creation of new development opportunities. This is because Algeria does not deal with the Sahel crises as an external actor, but rather as an authentic partner who realizes that the stability of its neighbors is a basic condition for its stability, and that comprehensive development is the best way to fortify the peoples of the region against terrorism, extremism and related crimes.”
Those following the case of Algerian businessman Ayoub Issio, who is detained in Spain, are awaiting the Spanish National Court’s decision on his extradition request, following the reasoned opinion issued by the Spanish Public Prosecution regarding the integrity of the evidence submitted by the Algerian judiciary on corruption charges, which formed the basis for his conviction in absentia to 20 years in prison.
The Spanish online newspaper, “The Objective,” reported on Saturday that the Public Prosecution at the National Court rejected the Algerian authorities’ request to extradite the Algerian businessman and oppositionist Ayoub Issio, explaining that it saw that a number of the crimes on which Algeria relied in the extradition request “were time-barred.” According to her, there is not sufficient evidence to support money laundering accusations, stressing that she obtained this information from Issio himself, who is currently in Spain under judicial supervision.
The prosecution’s position, according to “The Objective,” is the opposite of what Algeria wants, which has been seeking for years to restore the businessman, who was affiliated with the period of the rule of the late President Abdelaziz Bouteflika (1999 - 2019), and the corruption practices that characterized it.
Essio, who is represented by Spanish lawyer Cesar Aguirre, confirms that his extradition request “comes within the framework of political prosecution,” according to the online newspaper, which pointed out that the Spanish National Court “must now decide whether to approve the extradition request or reject it permanently,” without indicating whether it has set a date for the hearing to issue the decision.
The developments were revealed on Friday and relate to the legal arguments relied upon by the Public Prosecution regarding the extradition request. It studied the accusations related to “money laundering” and “forgery of official documents,” and concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support “money laundering,” while other possible crimes were subject to the statute of limitations, according to “The Objective.”
Meanwhile, the businessman's lawyers requested the return of his passport, and a review of the precautionary measures imposed on him following his release. Essio confirms that he will remain at the disposal of the Spanish judicial authorities, and will abide by all the duties that may be imposed on him, explaining that he has not lost his confidence in the Spanish institutions. He said: “Since the first day I appeared before the Spanish judiciary, I felt reassured about his independence... I trusted him from the first day, and I still trust him now,” according to what the same newspaper quoted him as saying.
The businessman, who is about forty years old, was arrested on July 25 at Barcelona Airport upon his return from Morocco. On September 4, he was released at the request of the Public Prosecution, subjecting him to precautionary measures alternative to pretrial detention, which included withdrawing his passport, preventing him from leaving Spanish territory, and requiring him to notify the court of any change in his place of residence, in addition to appearing before it once every two weeks.
Since his release, a question has been circulating within Algerian political and media circles: What will be the repercussions of the Spanish court’s decision to confirm the refusal to extradite him on relations between Madrid and Algeria?
In the estimation of those interested in this file, the Spanish prosecution’s rejection of the request to extradite Issio opens the door to a new chapter of tensions between the two countries, and closes the arc of a short breakthrough after the crisis that erupted in 2022 following Madrid’s recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara. Algeria suspended all forms of cooperation with its Mediterranean neighbor, to the point where relations touched the rift.
In recent days, new developments have increased the possibility of a return to tension. According to The Objective itself, Madrid informed Algeria a week ago of its decision to postpone the summit that was scheduled between Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, on the occasion of the “Grand Committee for Joint Cooperation” on October 21 and 22 in the Spanish capital.
The newspaper believed that this postponement would spark a diplomatic crisis with Algeria, especially since it comes “in a very sensitive circumstance for Spain.” “This decision towards the Algerian authorities may coincide with the possibility of a reaction from Morocco due to the visit of the King and Queen of Spain to Ceuta and Melilla on the 13th and 14th of October.” In other words, the postponement of the summit between Sanchez and Tebboune is understood as an effort by Madrid to avoid angering Rabat.
Before becoming one of the most prominent opponents of the Algerian government, Issio had established a large economic group active in the food, construction, pharmaceutical, and other activities sectors. He began his activity in the 1990s as the owner of popular restaurants in the southern suburbs of the Algerian capital.
According to the numbers provided by the group itself, the number of its employees reached about 3,000 people. He also owned a television channel called “Al-Jazairia One,” which was banned, but continued its activity as a digital platform broadcasting from abroad content highly critical of the Algerian authorities.
The businessman believes that his ability to influence public opinion explains the campaign launched by the Algerian government against him while he was detained, especially accusing him of drug trafficking, warning that the repercussions of his release on relations between Spain and Algeria “cannot be predicted.”
Mauritanians and political circles in the country are awaiting the announcement of the formation of the new government, after President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani renewed confidence in the Prime Minister, Mokhtar Ould Ajay, and commissioned him on Friday evening to submit a proposal for its formation.
This came hours after the president received the government’s resignation on the same morning, which is the fifth since he came to power in 2019 and the first in his second term. Ould Ajay said, in a press statement after meeting with the president: “His Excellency’s trust is precious, and it is a trust,” stressing that he will “immediately work” on preparing the proposal to form the government.
Ould Ajay, citing the president's directives, identified 4 characteristics of the new government, stressing the need for it to possess “the political and technical competence to continue implementing an ambitious program for the nation,” which is the electoral program presented by Ould Ghazouani in the 2024 presidential elections.
Ould Ajay said that the next government must be “able to confront the challenges of the current global crisis,” especially “strengthening the safety net,” which allows lower-income citizens to confront its effects. Ould Ajay did not specify the nature of the crisis, but Mauritania is facing crises in the rise in fuel and food prices.
The Prime Minister stressed that the prospective government must create “real dynamism and hope” in the training, employment, involvement and empowerment of youth, especially since President Ould Ghazouani confirmed after his election as president in 2024 that his mission will be a “youth mission,” raising the slogan “Empowering the Youth.”
The Prime Minister also stressed that the prospective government must be “able to create local development in cities and rural areas.”
Mauritanians are awaiting the names of the members of the prospective government, amid widespread speculation on social media, while local media are talking about an amendment that may go beyond renewing the team to include the redistribution of portfolios, and perhaps the reorganization of some vital sectors.
Private sources confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the Prime Minister spent several hours in his office since yesterday evening, and returned this morning, to conduct consultations to form the new government, while some sources expect it to be announced on Saturday evening.
The new government will be formed in a climate burdened with several issues. There is a national dialogue that the authority and the majority say is “without prohibitions,” and its supervision committee is still being finalized, and a debate within the ruling party about demands for the president to remain in power after the end of his term, which the opposition rejects because it conflicts with the current constitution.
In addition, the inflation rate rose to 8.9 percent, according to Central Bank data, and on September 18, the International Monetary Fund mission ended its visit without a financing agreement. The crises also worsened with rain that flooded schools and roads in the capital. All eyes are on whether the new formation will deal firmly with the recommendations of the investigation report into the electricity fires.
The government's resignation, which some described as "sudden," came the day after the president received, on Thursday, the report of an independent investigation committee into two fires that broke out on August 21 and 22 in two electrical substations belonging to the Mauritanian Electricity Company (Somalek) in Nouakchott, plunging parts of the capital into darkness for days.
The committee, headed by former Minister Ousmane Mamoudou Kan, concluded that there was a direct link between the two fires and three new 33-kilovolt connections that entered service days before they occurred. But it did not specify the exact technical mechanism, nor that the cable used was the direct cause.
The committee assigned “institutional, functional and contractual” responsibilities to entities and personalities, including the Minister of Energy and Oil, Mohamed Ould Khaled; Due to a failure to follow up on the agreement, “Somlak” officials and two contracting companies.
The President directed the government to “comprehensively and accurately implement” the recommendations and publish the report. No official statement said that the resignation was related to him, but the conjunction in timing prompted local media to link the two.
