ALGIERS, Nov 1 (NNN-APS) – Algerian President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, decided yesterday, to stop natural gas exports to Spain through Morocco.
The presidency announced in a statement that, Tebboune ordered the state-owned energy company, Sonatrach, to stop commercial relationship with Morocco and not to renew the gas pipeline contract with Morocco, which ends at midnight, last night.
The statement stressed that, the president made the decision due to Morocco’s “hostile” practices towards Algeria that affect national unity.
Algeria has used the Gaz-Maghreb-Europe (GME) pipeline through Morocco, to transfer natural gas to Spain.
Algerian Minister of Energy and Mines, Mohamed Arkab affirmed on Oct 11, that his country will remain “the faithful and guaranteed” gas supplier to Europe.
He said, the Medgaz gas pipeline, linking Algeria and Spain by sea, guarantees an annual supply of eight billion cubic metres of gas, noting that the pipeline capacity is due to increase to 10.6 billion cubic metres by Dec.
Algeria, producing 1.2 million barrels of oil per day, and 130 billion cubic metres of natural gas annually, is Africa’s biggest natural gas exporter. It has been using pipelines and tankers to provide natural gas to European countries.
Algeria cut diplomatic relations with Morocco in Aug, citing what it described as the latter’s “hostile” policies.
Morocco later expressed regret over Algeria’s “completely unjustified” decision, to sever diplomatic ties between the two countries.– NNN-APS
