Algeria pressures a Saudi company to modify the map of Morocco

The Algerian Minister of Pharmaceutical Industry, Ali Aoun, has urged the heads of the pharmaceutical company Tabuk Algeria - a subsidiary of Saudi Tabuk Pharmaceuticals - to change a Moroccan map hanging on the wall of a conference room. "They must quickly correct the map. They are in Algeria and they know our opinion on the subject," the Algerian minister said in a video addressed to the Saudi company. Aoun was referring to the Sahara region, a territory that Algiers does not recognise as Moroccan, unlike many other countries such as the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia itself.

Numerous Saudi citizens have condemned Aoun's comments on social networks, accusing him of "despising" and "humiliating" the Kingdom's companies. For this reason, they have called on Saudi authorities and companies to stop investing in Algeria. "How can a minister talk in this way to a head of the pharmaceutical company Tabuk, a leading company in the pharmaceutical industry," said some Saudis, according to Rue20.

?? وزير الصناعة الصيدلانية علي عون مُخاطبا مسؤولي مُصنِّع الأدوية "تبوك الجزائر": "يجب تصحيح الخريطة فورا، أنتم في #الجزائر ?? وتعلمون موقفها من #الصحراء_الغربية و #المغرب". pic.twitter.com/tdB1OqNiA0

— Radio Algeria international إذاعة الجزائر الدولية (@radioalginter) January 18, 2023

According to the Algerian media Watan, the minister also asked the Saudi company to "review the quality of its investment" in the country. According to the news portal, Aoun told Tabuk that Algeria needed cancer and diabetes drugs, urging the pharmaceutical company to "review its investment plan".

However, this is not the first time Algeria has attacked Moroccan territorial sovereignty. A news channel owned by Abdelmajid Tebboune's government published a map showing Morocco as separate from the Sahara during the Arab League summit hosted by Algiers last November. 

This map, which contradicts the map usually used by the pan-Arab organisation, provoked criticism from member states and, obviously, from Morocco. The media tried to apologise "for using a map of the Arab world not approved by the Arab League", claiming it was "a technical error by the graphics department". Morocco's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said the apology was not convincing.

Also, some time ago, Algerian state television replaced the name of Morocco on a weather map with "occupied Laayoune". As Al-Arab underlines, 'Algeria takes advantage of every event, whatever its value, to attack Morocco's territorial integrity, which provokes widespread criticism'.

The Tebboune government even uses sporting events, such as the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations 2023, to attack neighbouring Morocco. First, Algiers refused to open its airspace to the Moroccan team to take part in the competition, which is being held on Algerian territory. Subsequently, it agreed with Zwelivelile Mandela - Nelson Mandela's grandson - on a speech to criticise and attack Morocco. However, as Maghreb Intelligence revealed shortly afterwards, the Algerian authorities reportedly gave the grandson of the South African leader 100,000 dollars in aid for a project in South Africa.