Dear readers, here are the 4 pieces of information to remember this Saturday, November 9: Rachid Mekhloufi bows out, Algeria – France, Attaf discusses the Sahel with Lavrov, Putin responds to the Imane Khelif affair.
Rachid Mekhloufi, Algerian football legend, dies at the age of 88
Rachid Mekhloufi, Algerian football legend, died on Friday November 8 at the age of 88. He wasn’t just a great footballer. He was one of the first players with Abdelhamid Kermali, Rachid Zouba, Mohamed Maouche, Mokhtar Aribi, who created the FLN team while Algeria was fighting for its independence.
Mekhloufi had given up the 1958 World Cup with the French team to answer the call of his homeland while he had been playing for four seasons for AS Saint-Étienne (ASSE).
« But before a match against Béziers, two other professional players, Abdelhamid Kerbali (Lyon) and Mokhtar Arribi (RC Lens) came to see me to suggest that I go to Tunis. There was this project to create an FLN team, an idea from Mohamed Boumezrag, a way of promoting the cause of Algerian independence. I was given the choice, but I didn’t hesitate for a second », Confided Makhloufi in an interview with the newspaper Le Monde published on March 31, 2016.
Rachid Mekhloufi put aside his career in France to head to Tunis via Switzerland and launch the FLN team which participated in its own way in the fight for the country’s independence, by playing exhibition matches. all over the world.
The announcement of the death of Rachid Mekhloufi was followed by a shower of tributes to this outstanding footballer. The President of the Republic Abdelmadjid Tebboune expressed his “ deep compassion » and his former club, ASSE, wrote on the X platform: “ A rare talent, a committed citizen, a legendary Green… Rachid Mekhloufi, football esthete, left us this Friday, November 8 ».
Trade between Algeria and France: “ It was really a shock! »
Algeria on Thursday denied the allegations of the former French ambassador to Algiers Xavier Driencourt on the suspension of trade with France, in a context of strong political tensions between the two countries.
Rumors have been circulating in Algerian and French business circles since Tuesday about the refusal of Algerian banks to domicile foreign trade operations to and from France. Rumors had it that verbal instructions were given to banks to stop trade with France. The affair quickly took on considerable proportions and the business community was panicked.
Michel Bisac, president of the Algerian-French Chamber of Commerce (CCAF), told RFI what happened: “ On Tuesday there was a rumor that started saying that all import-export operations [entre l’Algérie et la France] were suspended ».
Michel Bisac added that the “ vague » reigned for « 48 hours » during which the « noise has continued to grow and cause concern on both sides of the Mediterranean ».
« As a precautionary measure, the banks therefore suspended their operations in this area while awaiting an official reaction. It was really a shock! “, he said.
In 2023, trade between Algeria and France increased by 5.3% to reach 11.8 billion euros. This amount makes Algeria France’s second partner in Africa.
In 2023, France exported 4.49 billion euros to Algeria compared to 4.51 billion in 2022. For its part, Algeria sold six billion euros to France, a figure on the rise. by 15%.
Algeria – Russia: Attaf discusses the Sahel with Lavrov in Sochi
Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Friday in Sochi, Russia.
They mentioned “ the state and prospects of strategic partnership relations between the two countries, as part of monitoring the implementation of the conclusions » of the state visit made by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to Russia in June 2023, and the discussions he had with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Attaf and Lavrov have “ exchanged views on the most important issues at the regional and international levels, including the latest developments in the Middle East and the Sahel region” where Russia has become an important player especially in Mali, notably with the presence of mercenaries from Africa Corps (ex-Wagner) alongside the military junta in power in Bamako.
This presence allows the Malian army to carry out deadly attacks against the Tuareg rebels up to the border with Algeria.
The head of Algerian diplomacy arrived in Sochi on Friday to take part in the work of the first ministerial conference of the Africa-Russia Partnership Forum, scheduled for November 9 and 10, 2024.
Putin responds to his accusations against Algerian Olympic champion Imane Khelif
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke Friday at the Valdai forum in Russia on the affair of Algerian boxer Imane Khelif whom he has already accused, without naming her, of being transgender.
To a question from Algerian journalist Akram Kharief on his accusations against Imane Khelif, the Russian president, who took part, along with his country, in the global campaign of denigration against the Algerian champion during and after the Paris 2024 Olympics, responded: “ I didn’t talk about her at that time, I didn’t talk about this matter ».
« I talked about something different. When someone says they are a woman and then they participate in these competitions. I wasn’t talking about the external signs “, he continued.
The Russian president clarified that he spoke of “ those who were ignorant of physical biology and declared themselves women”.
At the beginning of September, the Russian president declared: “ They are killing women’s sport (…) Any man can simply declare himself a woman and participate in any competition without giving women the slightest chance of winning medals, let alone first places ».
