Algeria suspends academic participation in Moroccan events and journals

Algeria’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research has ordered the country’s academics to suspend all participation in Moroccan scientific events and journals, agencies reported on Tuesday.

The ministry told Algerian professors not to publish any articles or scientific research in Moroccan journals and urged the academics to withdraw immediately from the journals of which they are members. According to Al-Quds Al-Araby, this is because Algeria believes that Moroccan academic journals have published articles hostile to the kingdom’s North African neighbour.

Morocco’s Al-Bahit journal, for example, is said to have published an article related to the Western Sahara on 12 May, which deals with the logical reasons for the possible expulsion of the fictitious Polisario republic from the African Union (AU).

The ministry also reminded Algerian academics about Moroccan policies aimed at provoking the people of Algeria through “hostile and propagandist policies” against their country.

Algeria and Morocco have deep humanitarian, cultural, historical, and religious connections. Academics from both countries used to participate in all kinds of events organised by their neighbours, or be members of journals and boards of academic institutions. Now, though, following Morocco’s open normalisation of relations with the occupation state of Israel, there are fears that Zionists have penetrated Morocco’s institutes and universities.

Moreover, political differences over the future of Western Sahara have driven a wedge between the two governments. Algeria severed diplomatic ties with Morocco last year.

Last year, more than 240 activists from both countries issued a statement calling for the heads of the two states to use their minds, wisdom and self-control in order to overcome the crisis between them.

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