Sahara: Tebboune suspected of manipulating Mario Draghi

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune received, on Tuesday, a phone call from Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, during which the relations between Algeria and Italy and the prospects for their promotion were reviewed. The two Algerian and Italian leaders also discussed the very sensitive issue of Western Sahara.

« The President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune received, on Tuesday, a cordial phone call from the Italian Prime Minister, Mario Draghi, with whom he reviewed the relations between Algeria and Italy on all levels and the prospects for their promotion and expansion in various fields, » said a statement of the Presidency of the Algerian Republic.

The talks focused on « bilateral relations between Algeria and Italy and the means to develop them in various fields, » the same source added. During this telephone conversation, the two leaders also discussed « regional and international issues of common interest, » including « Western Sahara.

The talks come just days after the name of Staffan De Mistura, a former Italian minister, was mentioned as a possible candidate for the post of personal envoy to Western Sahara. Algeria did not refuse this new candidate, as was the case with former Romanian Prime Minister Petre Roman and former Portuguese Foreign Minister Louis Amado.

This makes some newspapers, especially Moroccan, think that the Algerian head of state, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, is playing with his influence on the Italian head of government. What is it concretely?