Algeria, Spain to Discuss Trade Relations, Immigration Crisis

The former Algerian Prime Minister with the Spanish Minister in Algeria (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The former Algerian Prime Minister with the Spanish Minister in Algeria (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Algeria, Spain to Discuss Trade Relations, Immigration Crisis

The former Algerian Prime Minister with the Spanish Minister in Algeria (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The former Algerian Prime Minister with the Spanish Minister in Algeria (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares is expected to arrive in Algiers on Monday to meet with officials and discuss the full resumption of trade between the two countries following the end of their political crisis a short time ago, according to Algerian government sources.
The meetings will also address illegal immigration, the desert conflict, the turbulent political and security situation in the Sahel, and the tragic humanitarian crisis in Gaza in light of the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Strip.
The Spanish Foreign Ministry announced that Albares would visit Algeria at the invitation of its Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf, without providing details about the duration and the purpose of the visit.
Algerian official sources suggested that President Abdelmadjid Tebboune or Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui would receive the Spanish official.
They confirmed that several issues would be discussed between Albares and Attaf, most notably the return of intra-trade, the situation in Mali, and the Sahara issue, which was a subject of disagreement between the two countries.
They would also discuss the Israeli war on Gaza, as Algeria and Spain share similar positions, the most prominent of which is the necessity of stopping the aggression immediately and allowing aid to enter the Strip.
Signs of a breakthrough in relations between the two countries appeared last November following the return of the Algerian ambassador to Madrid 20 months after his withdrawal.
In December, the Algerian airline resumed its flights to major Spanish cities after several months' halt.
The crisis with Spain began after the Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, sent a letter to the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, in March 2022, declaring his country's support for the Autonomy Plan to resolve the dispute over Western Sahara.
Algeria considered the position a "departure from neutrality," regarding the issue causing a rift between Algiers and Rabat for many years, and suspended the "treaty of friendship" with Madrid, which dates back to 2002.
Following the ambassador's withdrawal, Algeria stopped all its trade exchanges with Spain, which caused significant financial losses to dozens of Spanish institutions.
It also created a severe scarcity of materials in the Algerian market.
Spanish goods exported to Algeria were valued at around 3 billion euros before the unprecedented political crisis between the two countries.
Gas was excluded from the trade boycott because the two countries had long-term contracts related to the sale of energy.
A few weeks ago, Attaf told the media that the end of the rift with Spain is a change in Madrid's position regarding the Sahara issue.
He referred to President Pedro Sanchez's speech at the UN General Assembly last September, in which he stressed that Spain supports the Special Envoy of the UN Sec-Gen to the Western Sahara.
He stressed that his government would continue to support the region's people in refugee camps as it had always done.
For the Algerians, Sanchez's failure to confirm support for the Autonomy Plan for the Sahara amounted to a disparity from the previous position.
The Algerian President was also quoted as saying at a cabinet meeting last September that Spain has begun to align with the European decision on the Sahara issue, which is to support the efforts of the UN in favor of a political path to reach a just and lasting political solution, acceptable to all parties.



UNSMIL Launches Campaign Against ‘Hate Speech’ in Libya

Young men from western Libya attend a workshop hosted by UNSMIL in Tripoli. Photo: UNSMIL
Young men from western Libya attend a workshop hosted by UNSMIL in Tripoli. Photo: UNSMIL
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UNSMIL Launches Campaign Against ‘Hate Speech’ in Libya

Young men from western Libya attend a workshop hosted by UNSMIL in Tripoli. Photo: UNSMIL
Young men from western Libya attend a workshop hosted by UNSMIL in Tripoli. Photo: UNSMIL

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) launched a campaign against “hate speech” in Libya and warned on Sunday about the negative effects of the phenomenon in a deeply divided country, which has been governed by a “fragile” ceasefire agreement since October 2020.

In recent days, the mission sponsored workshops in dozens of cities, including Tripoli and Benghazi, to discuss and evaluate the phenomenon of hate speech and to examine ways to address it.

Under the slogan “No To Hate Speech,” the UN mission raised concerns about hostile rhetoric based on religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, color, origin, gender or any other factor of identity.

Since the fall of late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, hate speech spread in Libya and it further extended in 2019, when Khalifa Haftar, the commander of the Libyan National Army, called on his military forces to advance on Tripoli.

Akram Al-Najjar, editor-in-chief of the Allash platform, told Asharq Al-Awsat that hate speech across Libya mainly increases when reports emerge about a possible change of government in Tripoli or during wars.

A Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) under Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah was installed through a UN-backed process in 2021 but the Benghazi-based House of Representatives (HoR) no longer recognizes its legitimacy.

Dbeibah has vowed not to cede power to a new government without national elections.

Amid the political disputes in Libya, the UNSMIL workshops in Tripoli focused on highlighting the distinctions between hate speech and freedom of speech.

Youth participants expressed their concern about the increase of hate speech against different groups on social media, calling for a public campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of incendiary rhetoric.

Eleven young men and women from western Libya participated in the Tripoli workshop, which ended last week. They spoke about the importance of media literacy and recognizing media bias.

“Media bias and hate speech are global issues,” one participant said. “The cultural context may differ from one place to another, but we all share the same rights, and we must stand against hate speech wherever it occurs.”

During the deliberations, attendees emphasized the role that media and politicians play in disseminating misinformation and hateful rhetoric, which can lead to armed confrontations and violence against specific groups or individuals.

“The security situation in Libya is very fragile,” one participant said. “Sometimes, even minor incidents can amplify hate speech between cities and threaten violent escalation.”

Concerns were also raised about hostile rhetoric being directed at different religious sects in Libya by official entities.

“Incitement in the name of religion, especially over minor differences, is one of the most dangerous forms of hate speech, and it may lead to severe consequences,” another participant said.

To prevent a hostile rhetoric in Libya, participants recommended that awareness of hate speech and cybercrimes should be incorporated into the educational curriculum from an early age.

They also called on Libyan media to avoid the rhetoric of political polarization, promote peace, and embrace a code of ethics.

“Cultural exchange programs must be launched with neighboring countries to combat xenophobia and strengthen relations with host communities,” the participants said.

They also recommended the support of local fact-checking initiatives and the use of AI to identify and report hateful rhetoric and disinformation.

Participants then advocated for social justice and decentralization in governance and development, prioritizing transparency.