Algeria considers international legal action against Morocco over Oued Mouileh pollution

Algeria is preparing to pursue international legal action against Morocco regarding the ongoing pollution of the cross-border Oued Mouileh river. Following recommendations from an international symposium in Tlemcen, authorities are addressing the severe contamination caused by industrial activities in the Moroccan city of Oujda. Laboratory tests reveal that heavy metal and chemical concentrations in the river are up to 400 times higher than international safety standards. Expert Mustapha Kamel Mihoubi noted that while the water is clean at its source in Sidi Abed, it returns heavily polluted after crossing into Morocco. This environmental crisis threatens the water supply for approximately two million people, violating international water rights and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, while rendering local purification efforts increasingly ineffective.