Launched as a rival to Morocco's Tanger-Med port complex, Algeria's El Hamdania port project is undergoing a surprising strategic shift. Algiers has reportedly decided not to entrust its construction to China — a move with significant geopolitical implications, particularly in the context of regional competition and the ongoing dispute over Western Sahara. Algeria has reportedly decided not to entrust China with the construction of the major El Hamdania port, a flagship project launched in 2015 under former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to rival Morocco's Tanger-Med, according to the French daily L'Opinion. This information comes from the journalist who interviewed Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in early February. With China apparently sidelined, the French shipping giant CMA CGM has emerged as a likely candidate to take over the project. L'Opinion reports that President Tebboune received Rodolphe Saadé — the French-Lebanese billionaire CEO of CMA CGM and owner of BFMTV — on June 2. Could this pivot, favoring France over the world's second-largest economy, be part of Algeria's broader strategy to dissuade China from supporting Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara? The Sahara issue remains a cornerstone of Algerian foreign policy. Just two months before the United Kingdom officially backed the Moroccan autonomy initiative on June 1, the Algerian government signed agreements and memorandums of understanding with British companies in London worth a total of $1 billion. Beijing Rebuffed On the Western Sahara issue, China maintains a neutral stance, advocating for a political solution acceptable to all parties. «China appreciates the current extension of the MINURSO mandate while hoping that future extensions will reflect conditions on the ground and the positions of all parties, in order to reach a broad consensus», a Chinese diplomat stated during the October 2023 session following the adoption of UN resolution 2654. This position was reaffirmed during the October 31, 2024 vote on resolution 2756. During his official visit to Morocco on November 21, 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed the strong ties between the two countries in a meeting with Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan. Xi stated that China remains ready to work closely with Morocco in supporting each other on issues related to their core national interests, and to deepen their strategic partnership. It's worth noting that CMA CGM does not build ports, but rather specializes in managing container terminals. The French group has a strong presence in Morocco, Algeria's regional rival — particularly through its involvement in the Nador West Med project. CMA CGM and Morocco's Marsa Maroc have partnered in a joint venture to equip and operate half of the container terminal at Nador West Med, the company announced in a statement on October 29, 2024. A day earlier, Rodolphe Saadé had signed a strategic memorandum of understanding in Rabat during a ceremony presided over by King Mohammed VI and French President Emmanuel Macron, alongside Fouad Brini, president of Tanger-Med.
