HE Oilbut above all gas, main source of livelihood Algeria. their wells hydrocarbonsunder desert SaharaAlgeria played a key role in the construction of the rentier State and its balance of poweras well as the letter of introduction to gain a place on the international stage. something similar to what happened Libya your ex-dictator Muammar Gaddafi, but after the wars and conflicts of the past decade, the country is fragmented and lacks any hope of finding a way out. Significant reserves cause of disagreement and weapon of pressure among factions fighting for control of the country.
Oil, gas and electricity are intertwined in Algeria. Algeria is a vital and strategic sector for game of thrones. sonataThe state oil and gas company is “a tool of public intervention by the state,” explains Eurèlia Mañé, professor of Economic Policy and expert on the Maghreb country. Mañé argues that the state operator is part of both national and international politics because gas is one of the main assets that Algeria must carry in the regional board.
Such states work by providing the population with a decent standard of living. oil moneybut also by depriving its citizens of their liberty, Gulf. In the 1970s, Algeria, already an independent State, was a wave of nationalization of oil companies. This helped increase social policies as schools, universities and hospitals were built.
the other side of the coin
The biggest advantage of oil and gas for the Algerian State is, at the same time, biggest weakness. focusing a large part of its economy on this extraction activity and other sectors, when hydrocarbon prices fall for a long time, the State will hands tied. This was what happened in the late 1980s when the drop in prices emptied Algeria’s coffers and led to a crisis. riot wave.
In 2019, thousands of people took to the streets again in so-called events. hiraq Algeria will show its rejection of the fifth term of the president, Abdulaziz Bouteflikabut also social demands and especially among young people no future prospectsa future that the State can no longer guarantee, as the protesters advocate.
Libya uncertainty
Libya It is divided, there is no central power, and control of the region is shared by various groups. Although various peace and dialogue processes have been tried alongside elections, the country is frozen in uncertainty. Right now, balance of power has opaque and changing. The 2012 protests against Gaddafi sparked a war against the dictator; failed to be placed on a transit track after his death, and civil war. A conflict like drifting and in which countries Turkey, Russia or Qatar, among others. The extraction and export of gas and oil also experienced the ups and downs of the conflict.
Protected by hydrocarbon deposits Oil Facilities Guardian, a group of local militia from the interior of the country. In recent years, there have been destabilizing cuts in this supply. export, because the two main opposition groups used this resource to put pressure on the opponent. It happened in the spring of last year: loyal tribes Khalifa HaftarIran, which controls the eastern part of the country, cut off oil extraction to put pressure on the oil mines. Government of National Unitybased on tripoli.
Agreement between Lebanon and Israel
The current situation has also pushed many countries to seek new deposits in the Mediterranean. This submarine reserves in front Lebanese and Israeli coasts While it has been a topic of discussion lately that has occasionally triggered bridges to be built, there has been another topic of discussion. In October last year, the two countries signed a “historic” agreement to define their common maritime borders. HE Lebanon He tries to discover if there are pockets of gas in this area that could help him overcome it. Economic crisis hit this country. Israel it is also now seeing these resources as an opportunity after finding a significant amount of gas in duly separated waters.