Tunisia doubles down on countering Morocco’s territorial integrity
After rolling the red carpet for the leader of Polisario separatists in 2022, Tunisia has doubled down on its anti-Moroccan policy by inviting the Polisario to take part at an international handicrafts fair in Sfax.
The handicrafts department at Tunisia’s industry ministry has invited the Algerian-sponsored separatist militia to take part in the fair held until Feb 4, according to the media mouthpiece of the Polisario.
The same media said the fair was an occasion to promote the separatist cause, much to the delight of the military regime in Algiers that succeeded in subduing cash-strapped Tunisia into a mere satellite state.
The incident is a continuation of Tunisian provocation of Moroccan diplomacy after autocratic president Kais Saied gave a state reception to Polisario chief during a Japan-Africa summit in 2022.
In response to this offense to bilateral ties, Morocco protested to Tunisia and recalled its ambassador.
After backtracking on his country’s democratic achievements, autocratic president kais Saied has succeeded in making his country a vassal serving Algeria’s military rulers.
As global powers acknowledge Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara and back its autonomy plan, little Tunisia seems to be running against the course of history by becoming the latest state to espouse Algeria’s plots to undermine Morocco’s territorial integrity.
Tunis is now siding with an irrational Algerian military regime serving a hegemonic agenda that has only simmered instability in north Africa as well as the Sahel, including through manipulating terrorism that ironically also hit Tunisia’s tourism-dependent economy.
In 2022, Kais Saied was among the three African leaders who attended a military parade showcasing the soviet-era weaponry of the Algerian army on the 60th anniversary of the independence of the country.
Algeria has given 300 million dollars to Tunisia in exchange for its unconditional support in international fora.
In return, Algerian politicians are now condescending calling Tunisia “the little sister” or even worse “an Algerian province” to borrow the words of former PM Houari Tighersi, whose comment triggered the wrath of Tunisian patriots.
Algeria has even meddled in Tunisia’s internal affairs openly and publicly when President Tebboune said in a presser with an Italian peer that he wants to “democratize” Tunisia!
