Algeria Requests to Join BRICS

The Foreign Ministers of Algeria and China in New York on Saturday, September 24, 2022. (Algerian Foreign Ministry)
The Foreign Ministers of Algeria and China in New York on Saturday, September 24, 2022. (Algerian Foreign Ministry)
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Algeria Requests to Join BRICS

The Foreign Ministers of Algeria and China in New York on Saturday, September 24, 2022. (Algerian Foreign Ministry)
The Foreign Ministers of Algeria and China in New York on Saturday, September 24, 2022. (Algerian Foreign Ministry)

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi welcomed Algeria's request to join the BRICS economic group, as an effort to join major powers.

This came during a meeting Saturday between Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi with his Algerian counterpart Ramtane Lamamra on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Russia had previously welcomed this step, which President Abdelmadjid Tebboune considered key to distancing Algiers “from the differences between the two global poles.”

Wi stressed that Algeria is a “great developing country and a representative of emerging economies.”

He said Beijing supports Algiers’ efforts to make the upcoming Arab League summit a success. Algeria is schedule to host the AL summit on November 1 and 2.

Wi added that his country “is ready to work with Algeria to play a constructive role in achieving global peace and development.”

Algeria has been looking for new economic and political alliances to replace its 2005 Association Agreement with the European Union, which it considers a “failed bet.”

BRICS group is composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Beijing and Moscow cast it as a powerful emerging market alternative to the West.

The term BRIC describes the startling rise of Brazil, Russia, India, China. The BRIC powers had their first summit in 2009 in Russia. South Africa joined in 2010.

The group accounts for more than 40% of the world's population and about 26% of the global economy.

On September 7, Tebboune stated that his country is interested in joining the group given that it represents an “economic and political power.”

He pointed out that his country’s potential membership could “happen fast.”

He further stressed on Saturday that Algeria “seeks to raise its national income in a way that enables it to join the BRICS group,” noting that it is working to achieve this goal.

Tebboune pointed out that the government is determined to export $7 billion of non-hydrocarbon products by late 2022, which, according to his estimation, qualifies it to be part of the major powers.



Muted Responses to Deadly Houthi Escalation and Rising Insurance Costs

The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
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Muted Responses to Deadly Houthi Escalation and Rising Insurance Costs

The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 

As the Houthi threat to international shipping grows ever more serious - most recently with the sinking of two Greek vessels, killing three sailors and leaving twelve missing - there has been little substantial reaction from major world powers. The United States, Germany’s foreign minister, and the UN envoy to Yemen were among the few to voice concern and call for de-escalation.

While Houthi attacks intensify across the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, insurance premiums for commercial ships in these waters have surged to as much as 1% of a vessel’s value, according to leading global insurers. This underscores the scale of the risk and the declining confidence in protecting this vital maritime corridor.

The two assaults targeted the cargo ships Magic Seas and True Confidence between Sunday and Tuesday last week. According to the EU naval mission Aspides, tasked with safeguarding Red Sea navigation, the attacks killed at least three sailors, wounded others, and left a dozen unaccounted for.

The strike on the Liberian-flagged Greek-operated True Confidence marked a dangerous escalation. The Houthis claimed responsibility, saying they used an explosive-laden drone boat and six ballistic and cruise missiles. They alleged the ship was heading to Israel’s port of Eilat, though independent verification was lacking.

Despite the scale of the violence, most global capitals limited their responses to brief statements. Only the US ambassador to the UN issued a pointed condemnation, along with remarks from a State Department spokesperson and a statement by UN envoy Hans Grundberg.

The US denounced the attacks as “terrorist and unjustified,” describing them as evidence of the “ongoing threat posed by Iranian-backed Houthis to regional maritime security and commerce.” The US ambassador stressed Washington’s commitment to denying the Houthis resources to fund such operations and called on the UN Security Council to remove obstacles blocking its expert monitoring teams in Yemen.

The State Department likewise condemned the attacks as a threat to the freedom of navigation and economic stability. “We will continue to take necessary steps to protect commercial shipping,” the statement warned, urging the broader international community to condemn the Houthis’ actions.

Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Iran must use its influence to halt Houthi attacks. Speaking in Vienna alongside his Israeli and Austrian counterparts, he declared: “We strongly condemn these attacks and expect Iran to act to stop them.”

UN envoy Grundberg expressed deep concern about the sinking of True Confidence, warning of the humanitarian and environmental consequences of such operations, which violate international law and Security Council Resolution 2722. He urged the Houthis to provide sustainable guarantees to end attacks and build on prior understandings with the United States.

Oman had brokered a limited agreement last May under which the Houthis pledged to stop targeting American ships in return for a suspension of broad US-led military action - though the deal excluded Israel.

A Dangerous Precedent

Yemeni officials say the tepid reactions from much of the world send the Houthis the wrong message, reinforcing their sense of impunity. On Thursday, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi boasted in his weekly address about sinking the vessels, calling it a “clear lesson” to any shipping company doing business with Israel.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have carried out over 150 attacks, disrupting global trade flows through the Red Sea. Their operations have sunk British and Greek ships and damaged many more, including hijacking the Galaxy Leader and holding its crew for over a year.