Brussels - Capitals: Europe and the Arabs - Agencies
The European side was a common denominator in the news that came in the past few hours from several Arab capitals, specifically in North Africa.
In Tunisia, Nabil Ammar, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Tunisians Abroad, confirmed that his country will not be a European guard in the Mediterranean or a wall of immigration to Europe.
Ammar stressed during his interview with "France 24" channel, which was broadcast by the Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, that the solution to the issue of immigration is not related to funds and cannot be security only, but rather requires a comprehensive approach to address this phenomenon with the participation of all parties. He indicated that there is a proposal from President Qais Happy to convene an immigration conference that includes the various countries concerned.
Regarding the deportation of Tunisians from France and other countries, Nabil Ammar explained that the issue is not done randomly, but is subject to agreements and requires respect for rights.
In response to a question about the International Monetary Fund loan, he said we are still negotiating with the International Monetary Fund and we do not accept any dictates from abroad.
Regarding the relationship between Tunisia and Algeria, Ammar stressed the strong and historical relationship between the two countries, pointing out that there is strategic cooperation between them, development of the border areas, and potentials to develop in trade and energy, and it is a first-class partner.
Regarding the Djerba incident, he explained that Tunisia is always in a state of vigilance and alertness, and the Tunisian authorities were very vigilant and were able to control the situation in a very short time, indicating that the investigation into the incident is continuing.
Morocco sent a letter of protest to the European Commission over the latter's consideration of Ceuta and Melilla as Spanish territory.
In a letter of censure against the Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of immigration, Margaritis Schinas, Morocco directed him in response to statements he made during his participation in the European Summit of Foreign Ministers in Brussels, which he considered hostile. Rabat confirmed that Ceuta and Melilla are two Moroccan cities.
The Greek, Shinas, had accused Morocco, during his participation in a European forum on security and defense, of resorting to various threats and using immigrants as a weapon against the European Union, according to Spanish reports.
According to the Spanish newspaper "El Pais", Morocco has formally protested to European organizations about the statements of the European official, in which he accused Morocco of exploiting the immigrants' card politically, stressing that Ceuta and Melilla are two Moroccan cities.
Margaritis Schinas, Vice President of the European Commission in charge of migration, clings to his position that the two cities are on Spanish and European soil.
The Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a letter against diplomatic disapproval of European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas, in charge of immigration, for his statement.
Rabat attached the same memorandum to an appendix in which it detailed the main hostile statements by Margaritis Shinas about the Kingdom and the Moroccan cities of Ceuta and Melilla since May 2021, pointing out that she had repeatedly expressed, and through various channels, her rejection of previous similar statements by the Vice-President of the Commission, calling for their categorical end to maintain calm. Cooperation with the European Union, and referred to in the summary submitted in Moroccan cities.
On Sunday, the newspaper reported that the note verbale presented by Rabat in the European Union collects anti-Chinas statements about Morocco and the Moroccan cities of Ceuta and Melilla, and indicated that the letter caused surprise and unease among the leaders of the Union.
And the same reports reported that European diplomatic sources expressed their dissatisfaction with the Moroccan position regarding the cities of Ceuta and Melilla, claiming that "it is not the behavior of respect that we expect from a country that receives a lot of assistance from the countries of the Union."
Air Algérie signed, with its initials, a contract with the European manufacturer "Airbus" for the acquisition of 7 large-sized aircraft of various models.
The contract was signed on Wednesday in Algiers, during a ceremony organized at the level of the technology pole of Air Algerie in the capital.
Through this contract, Airbus will start supplying Air Algérie with five A 330-900 aircraft (280-320-seat scale) and two other A 350-1000 (350-450-seat scale). The first is during the second semester of the year 2025, according to the explanations that were presented during the signing ceremony.
The contract was signed by the Director General of Air Algérie, Yassine Ben Slimane, and the Vice President of Sales for Africa and the Levant for Airbus, Hedi Akoum, in the presence of officials from the Ministry of Transport and the National Agency for Civil Aviation and several cadres of the two companies.
In mid-May, Air Algérie also signed an agreement with the American company "Boeing" to proceed with the procedures for its acquisition of the Boeing 8 aircraft.
Al Jazeera indicated that the first American aircraft of this type will enter service by 2027.
The Algerian President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, had directed to expedite the support of Algerian air and sea airlines towards various international destinations, through the acquisition of new planes and ships.
In implementation of President Tebboune's directives, Air Algerie launched earlier an international consultation for the acquisition of 15 new aircraft.