Algeria is Main Supplier of Energy to Spain Despite Western Sahara Tensions

A general view during a partial lockdown amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Madrid, Spain, October 3, 2020. REUTERS/Javier Barbancho
A general view during a partial lockdown amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Madrid, Spain, October 3, 2020. REUTERS/Javier Barbancho
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Algeria is Main Supplier of Energy to Spain Despite Western Sahara Tensions

A general view during a partial lockdown amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Madrid, Spain, October 3, 2020. REUTERS/Javier Barbancho
A general view during a partial lockdown amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Madrid, Spain, October 3, 2020. REUTERS/Javier Barbancho

Algerian gas topped the list of Spain’s energy imports in January, despite a political dispute with Madrid over the Western Sahara issue.

The specialized Arab news platform (Attaqa) has affirmed that Algerian gas exports represented more than a quarter of Spain’s imports in January.

Algeria regained its place at the top of the list of gas exporters to Spain during the first month of 2023, according to the platform.

It was the main supplier of natural gas to Spain in January, accounting for 25.7 percent of the total, followed by the United States (21.3 percent).

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine a year ago, Spain has been receiving most of its gas in the form of seaborne liquefied natural gas.

These shipments represented 67.3 percent of the total imports, while purchases through pipelines made up 32.7 percent, the Spanish government said.

“Algeria tops the list in terms of countries of high credibility in supplying clients with gas,” the platform added.

Despite the halt of pumping through the trans-Mediterranean pipeline that links Algeria to Spain through Morocco since November 2021, the Algerian liquefied natural gas continued to flow to the neighboring Mediterranean country.

Algeria exported 56 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas last year, up from 54 bcm in 2021.

This increase was affected by Russia halting its gas supplies to the European continent.

Algeria decided to freeze trade with Spain in June. Since then, trade losses have reached one billion euros.

Late last month, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said he regrets the deteriorating relations between Algeria and Madrid, affirming that no progress has been made to normalize relations between both countries.

Tebboune stressed that Madrid took a bad step when it changed its historic and balanced stance toward the Sahara issue.



White House Urges Hamas to Sign on to New Deal to Ensure Hostage Release

Palestinian boys examine a car targeted in an Israeli army strike that killed several of its occupants in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Palestinian boys examine a car targeted in an Israeli army strike that killed several of its occupants in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
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White House Urges Hamas to Sign on to New Deal to Ensure Hostage Release

Palestinian boys examine a car targeted in an Israeli army strike that killed several of its occupants in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Palestinian boys examine a car targeted in an Israeli army strike that killed several of its occupants in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

The Biden administration is urging Hamas to sign on to a new ceasefire deal that would ensure the release of hostages, White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Friday.

Kirby said the White House welcomed Israel's decision to send another team to Doha to continue negotiations.

The United States, Egypt and Qatar have been trying to mediate a deal for a ceasefire and hostage release for a year with no success and are making another push this month before Donald Trump's inauguration.
Ceasefire efforts have continually stumbled on a fundamental disagreement over how to end the conflict. Hamas says it will accept an agreement and release the hostages only if Israel commits to ending the war. Israel says it will agree to stop fighting only once Hamas is destroyed.

On Friday, Hamas said it wanted "a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip" and the return of displaced people to their homes in all areas of the enclave.

US President Joe Biden has repeatedly called for a ceasefire agreement. Trump has said that if there is not a deal to release the hostages before his inauguration, "all hell is going to break out.”