French customs seize 2,000 prehistoric artifacts from Algeria at auction house
via Algérie3602 min read
French customs officials have seized 2,000 prehistoric archaeological artifacts from Algeria at an auction house in Béziers, France. The items, including stone tools, fossils, ceramic fragments, and ancient coins, were part of 118 lots with an estimated value of 5,000 to 8,000 euros. The seizure occurred after customs officers in Sète received a tip-off and conducted an inspection in collaboration with customs intelligence services and DRAC Occitanie. No documentation justified the acquisition or regular importation of the goods. The artifacts have been entrusted to the Archaeological Documentation Center of Gard in Nîmes for scientific study and heritage preservation. This incident highlights the ongoing issue of cultural heritage plundering in Algeria. Algerian police have also made significant seizures since the beginning of 2026, including over 10,000 Roman bronze pieces in Ain Defla, 335 coins, statuettes, and a handcrafted firearm in another operation. In Tébessa, a criminal network was dismantled, leading to the seizure of 4,365 Roman coins. An attempt to traffic 1,352 coins was thwarted at Algiers airport, and in Constantine, authorities seized 1,381 coins, 132 pieces of jewelry, 13 statuettes, a metal detector, and excavation equipment.
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Transavia, the low-cost subsidiary of Air France-KLM, is reducing its flight schedule and increasing ticket prices for May and June 2026. This decision is a direct result of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which have caused a significant surge in jet fuel costs. The blocking of the Strait of Hormuz has led to a global jet fuel shortage, severely impacting the aviation industry. Transavia announced the cancellation of several flights, affecting less than 2% of its scheduled program for the specified period. Affected passengers will be contacted directly via SMS and email and offered options including free rebooking, a voucher, or a full refund. In most cases, an alternative travel option will be provided within 24 hours of the cancellation. Additionally, Transavia has implemented a 10-euro increase on round-trip tickets. The International Air Transport Association IATA has urged regulators, particularly in Europe, to ensure transparency and coordination in anticipating potential jet fuel rationing to prevent operational chaos. Jet fuel costs now account for nearly 45% of airlines' overall expenses, up from 25%, significantly impacting the sector's financial margins.
Algeria and France are working to strengthen their economic relationship, with the Conseil du Renouveau Économique Algérien CREA and the Mouvement des Entreprises de France MEDEF leading the effort. A joint statement issued on April 26, 2026, following a meeting in Algiers between CREA President Kamel Moula and MEDEF President Patrick Martin, called for enhanced cooperation. This initiative comes amidst global geopolitical tensions, energy crises, and climate challenges, which both organizations believe necessitate a more structured economic dialogue. The goal is to build partnerships based on trust, shared interests, and complementarity. While hundreds of French companies already operate in Algeria, both business federations believe the existing cooperation is underutilized. They highlight Algeria's youth skills, natural resources, France's technological expertise, and Algeria's strategic geographical position as assets for a more sustainable partnership. The organizations plan to develop a sectoral work program to structure cooperation between Algerian and French companies in targeted sectors, aiming for more concrete and results-oriented partnerships.
Must ReadFormer Minister of Water Resources, Arezki Berraki, along with former and current directors-general of the National Agency for Dams and Transfers ANBT, and other individuals, are on trial for corruption. The case centers on the reinforcement project for the Medjez B'gar dam in Guelma, which allegedly caused a loss of nearly 600 billion centimes to the public treasury. The investigation, conducted by the regional judicial police service of Algiers, revealed that the project, initially estimated at 130 billion centimes, was awarded to a private company for over 580 billion centimes. This significant increase was due to three controversial amendments that substantially exceeded the initial contract amount and were not properly agreed upon. These amendments changed the project from a simple reinforcement to a dam elevation, with one amendment alone exceeding 230 billion centimes and another over 75 billion. Five defendants, including former Minister Arezki Berraki, who had a previous 10-year prison sentence in another case, and two former ANBT directors-general, have been placed in provisional detention. Four others are under judicial supervision. The accused face charges including abuse of office, influence peddling, embezzlement of public funds, and granting undue advantages in public procurement. The owner of the beneficiary company is also being prosecuted for inciting officials to abuse their influence, obtaining unjustified advantages, participating in the embezzlement of p
Must ReadAlgeria is projected to maintain its position as the fourth-largest economy in Africa by 2031, with an estimated GDP of $328 billion, according to an April 2026 report from the International Monetary Fund IMF. In 2025, Algeria's GDP was estimated at $285.72 billion. However, the report highlights a significant disparity in growth rates compared to other African nations. Over a six-year period, Algeria's economy is expected to grow by only 14.67%, which is the slowest rate among the top African economies. In contrast, Ethiopia is projected to see a 122% increase, the Democratic Republic of Congo an 89% increase, and Egypt an 83% increase. The IMF report attributes Algeria's slow progression and persistent reliance on hydrocarbons, which account for 95% of its export revenues, making its GDP vulnerable to global market fluctuations. The report also points out the challenge of economic statistics, noting a significant gap between the official exchange rate 1 USD = 132.29 DZD and the parallel market rate 1 USD ≈ 238 DZD. If assessed using the parallel market rate, Algeria's national wealth for 2025 would be $158 billion, considerably lower than the official figure. Despite these challenges, the report identifies potential for industrial resilience through large-scale projects, such as a $2.5 billion investment in the steel industry in Oran and the exploitation of the Gara Djebilet iron deposit. These initiatives could alter future projections if industrial integration accelerates