Oued Mouilah pollution: Serious environmental concerns in Tlemcen

The ongoing contamination of Oued Mouilah, located in the Maghnia region, has reached a critical stage, according to economist Omar Bouazouni. The presence of heavy metals, linked by Algerian authorities to pollution flowing from Morocco, threatens to cause lasting damage to local agricultural ecosystems. A ministerial delegation, headed by Interior Minister Brahim Merad, visited the site on November 10, 2026, to assess the situation. Bouazouni argued that this pollution violates international frameworks, including the Helsinki Convention and the 1992 Rio Declaration. Describing the situation as a form of chemical aggression, the expert emphasized that while these waters account for only 2% of Algeria's total resources, the state must take firm diplomatic and legal action to protect its sovereignty and environmental health.