Spain Prepares to Hit Morocco With Energy Sanctions Amid Migration Crisis Copy link

Algeria Gate: Amid growing concerns in Europe over the security implications of Morocco’s migration policy, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has raised the alarm over the potential security and terrorist threats associated with the migration crisis.

The head of Italian diplomacy specifically evoked Morocco’s responsibility in a migration crisis that could, according to his warnings, take on a security and even terrorist dimension. These statements come after the massive arrival of around 60,000 irregular Moroccan migrants heading toward Ceuta, the Spanish territory located in northern Morocco.

The Ceuta crisis thus brings Rabat’s role in managing migration flows back to the center of the debate. The border around the Spanish enclave has become a point of tension whose consequences no longer concern Spain alone but are now raising concerns at the European level.

In an interview with the Italian daily Corriere della Sera, Antonio Tajani dismissed the idea of any “battle” against Spain. He did, however, call on Madrid to “deal with Morocco,” estimating that “the problem comes from there,” in direct reference to Rabat.

The Italian minister also echoed concerns expressed in Spain about a possible new migratory wave. He especially raised the risk that some of the new arrivals could represent a threat to security, going so far as to declare that “the migrants who come from there could be terrorists.”

These remarks therefore give a new dimension to the migration crisis. For Rome, the issue is no longer limited to border control or the management of clandestine arrivals: it now directly touches on European security issues.

With these statements, Morocco thus finds itself at the heart of European concerns linked to clandestine immigration and the security risks that could result from it.

Algeria Gate: Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, on Monday accused France of arming and directing illegal armed groups in African countries. This came during a joint press conference held by Lavrov with his Ghanaian counterpart Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa following bilateral talks in the Russian capital, Moscow.

He added that terrorist attacks in Africa “are being planned by certain countries that have lost their colonial influence in Africa and cannot accept that,” considering France one of them. In this context, Lavrov accused France of working directly with illegal armed groups in Africa, supplying them with weapons, and directing them. He noted that Russia is in the process of signing a memorandum of cooperation with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Algeria Gate: Algeria’s state energy group Sonatrach and Italy’s Eni have signed a new memorandum of intent aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions, including methane, across Algeria’s oil and gas sector. The agreement targets concrete decarbonization opportunities and initiatives, drawing on international best practices adopted across the global oil and gas industry.

Building on the 2023 Sonatrach-Eni Partnership

According to a Sonatrach statement, the new protocol extends work carried out under a 2023 memorandum of intent between the two companies, which focused on technological cooperation to reduce and make better use of flared gas, along with developing emissions-reduction technologies.

Energy audits and technical assessments carried out under that earlier agreement identified opportunities of mutual interest and paved the way for concrete emissions-reduction measures on the ground.

Joint Emissions-Reduction Initiatives

As part of the ongoing partnership, Sonatrach and Eni carried out a structured program of joint activities, including:

• Technical analyses of emissions sources
• Capacity-building initiatives and staff training
• Field visits to operational sites

Targeted training courses were also developed for immediate rollout, alongside precise technical measures required at individual production sites.

Leak Detection and Repair Campaign Cuts Fugitive Emissions

The implementation of the 2023 memorandum already enabled a joint leak detection and repair (LDAR) campaign, which significantly reduced fugitive methane emissions across shared operations.

Leak detection and repair measurement campaigns are now carried out on a regular, systematic basis at gas complexes jointly operated by Sonatrach and Eni. A baseline emissions assessment has also been completed across six facilities run jointly by the two companies in Algeria.

What the New Protocol Means Going Forward

The newly signed protocol allows Sonatrach and Eni to continue the emissions-reduction work launched in 2023 while exploring new areas for further initiatives. It also strengthens cooperation on natural carbon dioxide capture, including through a dedicated reforestation project, expanding the partnership beyond technical fixes to nature-based climate solutions.