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Saudi aid Turkey, West China’s foray to Yemeni on collision into MENA children course markets Page 21 Page 16 Page 19 UK £2 Issue 215, Year 5 July 21, 2019 EU €2.50 www.thearabweekly.com Algeria’s Africa Cup triumph deepens patriotic spirit Stephen Quillen Tunis he Algerian national football team won the Africa Cup of Nations finals, leading to T countrywide jubilation and briefly uniting a protest-hit country that has been rocked by political tur- bulence. Algeria defeated top-ranked Sen- egal, 1-0, to claim its first African Cup of Nations trophy in 29 years, sparking impassioned celebrations throughout Algeria as well as in Par- is, London and Tunis. “I’m very happy. Our whole na- tion‚ our people were waiting for Murky waters. A file picture shows the Stena Impero, a British-flagged tanker, off the coast of Europoort in Rotterdam. (AFP) this second star for a long time‚” said Algeria’s Manager Djamel Belmadi‚ who took over and revamped Alge- ria’s struggling squad last August. “To do what we’ve been able to do‚ Iran fans flames at Strait of Hormuz and to put ourselves on the top of Af- rica in 10 months‚ is extraordinary.” The victory seemed to reinforce Algeria’s patriotic spirit as protesters with brazen attack on British tanker enter the fifth month of a movement seeking lasting political change. With tears rolling from the eyes of Thomas Seibert the world’s sea-borne oil. Another seized two weeks ago in an opera- shipped daily through the strait be- players and staff and emotions run- British ship was briefly detained by tion aided by British Royal Marines tween Iran in the north and Oman ning high among fans throughout Iran before being released. on allegations of breaching EU in the south. Disruption of tanker the tournament, it was clear the Istanbul British Foreign Secretary Jeremy sanctions against Syria. traffic would hit oil and gas mar- stakes for Algerians were much high- Hunt said he was worried Iran had Looking for leverage in its row kets and could affect the global er than football. n the most serious escala- taken a “dangerous path of illegal with the United States, the Iranian economy. Fittingly, the closing match was tion since the confrontation and destabilising behaviour.” leadership has previously warned The United States, which has played on a Friday, the day each between Iran and the United Tehran said its Islamic Revolu- that it could stop traffic in the Strait sent naval and air force units to the week that tens of thousands of peo- I States in the Gulf began two tionary Guard Corps seized the of Hormuz. Iranian President Has- Gulf region and is deploying an ad- ple have taken to the streets in Al- months ago, Tehran drove up ten- Stena Impero after the British ship san Rohani said last year that “no ditional 500 military personnel to geria to raise their voice for change. sions with the West by seizing a damaged an Iranian fishing ves- oil will be exported” from the Gulf Saudi Arabia to deter Iranian ag- This time, however, the scene was British-flagged oil tanker at a key sel in a collision but the effort to if the United States blocked Iran’s gression, said it wants to build an different: There were fewer angry choke point of the world’s oil trade. explain the move with a need to crude exports. international coalition to secure chants and more jubilant cheers. To With the attack July 19 on the investigate a suspected maritime Washington has imposed crush- traffic in the strait. many, the national team’s success Stena Impero, Iran signalled its incident sounded hollow. ing sanctions against Iran’s oil was a moment of vindication. determination to interfere with The attack occurred only hours industry to make Tehran accept Thomas Seibert is an Arab Weekly The exciting run was not devoid traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a after a British court in Gibraltar stricter limits on its nuclear pro- correspondent. of politics, however. The Algerian main artery for global oil trade that said it would extend by 30 days gramme. government made every effort to carries approximately one-third of the detention of an Iranian tanker Huge amounts of oil and gas are P2-3, 6 capitalise on the Desert Foxes’ suc- cess, organising charter flights for fans to attend matches in Egypt and putting embattled Interim President Little progress on Sudan power-sharing Abdelkader Bensalah centre stage in Cairo at the closing match July 19. Not all the coverage was positive for Algeria’s leaders because fans talks as opposition group voices concerns took the political protest to an inter- national audience, displaying signs Hassan Abdel Zaher power-sharing deal signed July 17. The United States supported the tions it imposed on Khartoum in and chanting slogans critical of the “The deal is a good step but the deal amid concerns about Sudan’s October 1997 but the Sudanese government. road ahead is very bumpy,” said descent into state failure and vio- economy continues to suffer reper- Some fans reportedly chanted Cairo Ibrahim Ezzeddine, a leader within lence. “The situation is still fragile. cussions of the sanctions. “La Casa del Mouradia,” a reference the Sudanese community in Cairo. There are still spoilers out there,” Perhaps that is why most of those to the presidential palace, that was ower-sharing talks between The TMC, which took over after Tibor Nagy, US assistant secretary present welcomed the deal. heard in chants by Friday protest- Sudan’s political forces and the downfall of the Omar al-Bashir of state for African affairs, said. Lieutenant-General Hamdan Da- ers during the dramatic semi-final the ruling Transitional Mili- regime in April, signed the deal The deal was “absolutely a step for- galo, TMC deputy chairman, said match against Nigeria. P tary Council (TMC) were with the FFC early July 17 after 11 ward,” he added. the agreement would open the A fan who held up a sign with the staggering a short time after the hours of Ethiopian- and AU-medi- door for a new partnership. popular anti-government phrase “So they all go” during Algeria’s opening two sides agreed to form a sover- ated negotiations. The main opposition However, not everybody in Su- eign council to manage Sudan’s af- The formation of a sovereign dan shared this optimism, includ- match against Kenya was sent home fairs during the country’s political council of 11 members, including cited disagreements ing some FFC political forces. and imprisoned. transition. five army generals, five FFC mem- inside the group over The Sudanese Communist Party Overall, the focus of Algeria’s Officials of the Forces for Free- bers and a civilian, was agreed to. the constitutional said the deal gives the TMC more football triumph was the national dom and Change (FFC), the main One of the generals will lead the document as well as control over Sudan. It said in a squad’s heart and resilience — and opposition group, said a new round Sovereign Council for 21 months dissatisfaction with the statement that the deal overlooks how it reflects a nation that has and of negotiations on a constitutional and an FFC member will lead it for political paper. the need for getting rid of the rem- continues to struggle through chal- document that compliments the 18 months during Sudan’s transi- nants of the al-Bashir regime, bring lenge and adversity. political paper had been post- tion. Ethiopia’s representative in the corrupt al-Bashir-era officials to “For me, the national team and the poned. The agreement opens the door for negotiations, Mohamed Dirir, de- court and return money stolen by country are the same,” Belmadi told They cited disagreements inside a peace process in Sudan within six scribed the deal as “historic.” the regime. New Frame. “We represent a country the group over the constitutional months and calls for the initiation “This is a decisive moment in Su- The Revolutionary Front also ob- with a glorious past... Our revolution document as well as dissatisfaction of action by Sudanese authorities to dan’s history,” Dirir said. jected to the deal. and independence, it’s not some- with the political paper. rescue the economy and introduce Two-thirds of Sudan’s popula- The Network of Sudanese Oppo- thing you find anywhere. They are “The coalition needs to conduct reforms to state institutions and tion is considered poor, govern- sition Journalists said the deal had anchored in all of us as Algerians, more internal consultations to the military establishment. ment figures indicate. The country failed to create new realities for the sometimes even unconsciously. In reach a common vision,” said Omar There were hopes that the agree- has been designated a “state spon- Sudanese people. sport, the notion of sacrifice and sol- al-Dagir, an FFC leader. ment would end tensions between sor of terrorism” by the United idarity are essential.” There was already heightened Sudan’s political forces and the States since 1993. In October 2017, Hassan Abdel Zaher is a scepticism over Sudan’s political TMC, after months of unrest and the United States lifted most eco- Cairo-based contributor to The Stephen Quillen is an Arab Weekly players’ ability to move beyond the bloodshed. nomic, trade and financial sanc- Arab Weekly. correspondent in Tunis. 2 July 21, 2019 Cover Story UK Iran British tankers in the crosshairs of Iran’s ‘unnecessary’ escalation Nazli Tarzi A statement from the govern- ment cited the move as one that runs “contrary to international law.” London In a sharp contrast to typically luke- warm responses, UK Foreign Minis- n what was described as an eye- ter Jeremy Hunt, who is seeking to for-eye strategy in Arabian Gulf, become Britain’s prime minister, hit Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary out on Twitter.

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