The Africa Atlantic Gas Pipeline: A Strategic Project at the Heart of Regional Rivalriy.
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While Algerian media persist in disparaging the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project, also known as the Atlantic Africa Gas Pipeline (AAGP), this large-scale transcontinental megaproject paradoxically generates growing interest and increasing international support. More than just a pipeline, the AAGP embodies an ambitious vision of South-South cooperation, regional integration, and sustainable development, crossing often landlocked and fragile countries, and offering a credible complement or alternative source of gas for Europe.
The AAGP aims to transport up to 30 billion cubic meters of gas per year from Nigeria’s rich gas fields, passing through about fifteen West African countries, reaching Morocco, and then onward to Europe via the Strait of Gibraltar. This significant capacity will not only diversify Europe’s energy supply sources but, above all, meet the growing energy needs of West African countries.
Unlike the Algerian Trans-Saharan gas pipeline project, which is about 1,500 km shorter but costly (nearly USD 20 billion) and passes through an unstable region, the AAGP stands out for its inclusive approach. It is not merely a transit conduit to Europe but a regional energy network that will supply bordering countries, allowing producers to inject their gas locally and others to fuel their industrial, agricultural, and urban development.
The AAGP is based on a logic of South-South cooperation, founded on solidarity, sharing expertise, and economic complementarity. By crossing often landlocked countries, the pipeline will help reduce their energy isolation, strengthen their infrastructure, and stimulate their economic growth.
The choice of a predominantly offshore route up to Dakhla, then onshore along Morocco’s Atlantic coast, illustrates the desire to fully integrate the Sahel-Saharan region into a modern energy corridor. Dakhla, which will become a major port, industrial, and logistics hub, is set to play a central role in this dynamic, promoting job creation, industrial growth, and economic diversification-key strengths and major assets of the Moroccan vision.
Algeria, for its part, perceives it as a direct threat to its dominant position in the regional energy sector. Its shorter Trans-Saharan pipeline project is limited to a simple transit role for Nigerian gas to Europe, without real impact on the development of the territories it crosses. In contrast, the Moroccan AAGP proposes a more ambitious vision, integrating a regional network that will benefit all partners and their increasingly demanding populations.
Algerian hostility manifests in an intense media campaign aimed at downplaying the feasibility of the Moroccan project. Beyond the media, Algeria is multiplying diplomatic efforts to strengthen ties with Nigeria and accelerate its own project. Official delegations follow one another, while on social networks, relentless, likely orchestrated smear campaigns seek to discredit the AAGP.
This antagonism fits into a broader political logic, with Morocco as the "classic enemy" to weaken. Ideological stubbornness leads to ridiculous choices that paradoxically harm Algeria’s own economic and social interests. The artificial conflict over Western Sahara remains a backdrop; the survival of the Polisario Front has mobilized a large share of Algeria’s resources, efforts, and attention for 50 years.
Contrary to Algerian claims, the AAGP enjoys solid support from financial institutions and major investors. The United Arab Emirates, the Islamic Development Bank, the European Investment Bank, the OPEC Fund for International Development, as well as the USA, have expressed interest and commitment to the project.
On the industrial front, the Chinese group Jingye Steel has already won the contract to supply the metal pipes, demonstrating the project’s international and industrial dimension. This involvement of global players strengthens the technical and financial credibility of the AAGP and consolidates adherence to the goal of making the region a development hub rather than a source of migration and forced population displacements.
The Moroccan project is divided into several phases, with feasibility, basic engineering, and environmental studies already completed or underway. A call for tenders is planned to accelerate construction, with the commissioning of the first sections envisaged as early as 2029.
Beyond energy issues, the AAGP is part of a broader strategy of sustainable development, reducing energy poverty and poverty in general, and strengthening regional stability. By promoting economic integration and complementarity among West African countries, the project will help create an environment conducive to investment, job creation, inclusive growth, and prosperity. This was recently reinforced in the PRAI declaration at the 5th meeting of the African Atlantic States Process (AASP).
This approach strongly contrasts with Algeria’s strategy, which remains focused on political and ideological confrontation, to the detriment of economic and social opportunities for its own populations.
Algeria even refuses to acknowledge the emergence of new gas producers, notably Senegal and Mauritania, who actively participate in the Moroccan project. These countries adopt a pragmatic logic, favoring economic development and regional cooperation over ideological rivalries. The first section of the AAGP precisely includes these states, illustrating a dynamic of openness and partnership that could reshape West Africa’s energy map.
The Atlantic Africa Gas Pipeline is more than just an infrastructure project: it embodies an ambitious vision of cooperation, integration, and sustainable development for West Africa that the affected populations fully understand. Faced with this dynamic, Algeria seems trapped in its chronic confrontational stance, hindering its own development and, regrettably, that of the region.
At a time when energy, economic, and geopolitical challenges are multiplying, the AAGP is a model for the future, based on complementarity, solidarity, and innovation. Its success could open the way to a new era of shared prosperity and stability for West Africa and its international partners, much to the dismay of those who oppose it, refuse to admit it, or simply fail to understand it.
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The Kabbalah
100
Kabbalah is a mystical tradition within Judaism that seeks to understand the hidden dimensions of the divine, the universe, and the soul. While its formal development emerged in medieval Europe—especially in 12th-century Provence and 13th-century Spain—its roots stretch back to earlier biblical, rabbinic, and merkavah (chariot) mysticism traditions. It offers a symbolic and metaphysical framework for understanding reality and our role within it.
At its core, Kabbalah teaches about Ein Sof (“the Infinite”), the boundless aspect of God that lies beyond all human comprehension. From this ineffable source emanates all of creation, unfolding through a dynamic process depicted in the Tree of Life (Etz Chaim), a symbolic diagram composed of ten interconnected spheres called sefirot. These sefirot represent divine attributes or channels through which the Infinite expresses itself, shaping both the spiritual and material realms. At the top is Keter, the crown, symbolizing divine will and pure potential. From Keter flows Chokhmah, the spark of wisdom and intuitive insight, which is then given form and structure by Binah, representing understanding and deep contemplation. Below them, Chesed embodies expansive love, generosity, and mercy, while Gevurah introduces strength, discipline, and the power of judgment. Between these opposing forces lies Tiphereth, the sphere of beauty, harmony, and compassion, which mediates and integrates mercy with severity. Continuing downward, Netzach expresses endurance, initiative, and the force of expansion, while Hod represents humility, introspection, and the power of communication and symbolism. These two channels converge into Yesod, the foundation, which synthesizes and transmits all previous energies into Malkuth, the kingdom—the material world, where divine intention is finally manifested. These ten sefirot are arranged along three vertical pillars—right, left, and center—symbolizing the principles of expansion, restraint, and balance. Together, they form a dynamic spiritual system that mirrors both the structure of the universe and the inner architecture of the human soul.
One of the most influential Kabbalistic texts is the Zohar, a mystical commentary on the Torah, which uses allegory, symbolic interpretation, and esoteric language to uncover hidden spiritual meanings in the biblical text. Another foundational work is Sefer Yetzirah ("The Book of Creation"), which presents a cosmology based on the mystical properties of the Hebrew alphabet and the ten sefirot. It teaches that the world was created through 32 paths of wisdom—ten sefirot and 22 Hebrew letters—laying the groundwork for later Kabbalistic systems.
A major development in Kabbalah came with Isaac Luria (1534–1572), known as Ha'ari, who introduced Lurianic Kabbalah. He offered new doctrines such as Tzimtzum (the divine contraction that made space for creation), Shevirat ha-Kelim (the breaking of the vessels), and Tikkun (restoration or repair). These concepts explain why evil exists and how humanity participates in the healing of cosmic fractures through spiritual acts.
Kabbalistic practice involves more than intellectual study—it includes meditative techniques, letter permutations, sacred chanting, visualization, and deep contemplation on the divine names. Gematria, the system of interpreting Hebrew words through their numerical values, plays a central role in uncovering hidden connections between words and ideas.
Another important concept is Sitra Achra, the "Other Side"—a realm of impurity and spiritual blockage that opposes holiness and reflects the duality within creation. Kabbalists explore how spiritual elevation occurs when divine sparks trapped in the material world are liberated through righteous actions, prayer, and intentional living.
In more practical or applied Kabbalah, practitioners also work with Divine Names (such as the 72 Names of God), angels, and astrological correspondences, viewing them as symbolic tools to aid in spiritual elevation and unity with divine purpose. The four worlds (Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah, and Assiah) represent stages of emanation from the divine to the material realm, showing the hierarchical structure of existence.
Although once restricted to mature Jewish scholars, Kabbalah has increasingly influenced broader spirituality, from Hasidic Judaism to Christian mysticism, Western esotericism, and even contemporary self-help movements. However, traditional Kabbalists emphasize that its study demands humility, ethical refinement, and a strong foundation in Torah and Jewish law.
Ultimately, Kabbalah is not just a metaphysical system but a transformational path. It invites seekers to draw closer to the Divine, to bring balance to the soul, and to repair the world by restoring harmony between the spiritual and physical realms.
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The thief of cope
182
Do people enjoy zero-sum games? I think they very much do. Most deny it because it beckons to more primitive days where life was the ultimate battle-royal: Grog beat enemy, Grog take everything. There's plenty of illustration of this more primitive state in fiction. If you've watched the Walking Dead, you may have noticed how that characters very quickly regress from their civilized selves to pro zero-sum gamers. Even though there's a whole planet to loot, the imminent scarcity they are faced with makes factions go to war against each other. In a post apocalyptic world, there's no place for collaborative value creation. But we don't need the apocalypse to reveal our natural proclivity towards zero-sum games. Talk to a historian and you will know that empires have always seen the world as a big zero-sum game, even when a whole continent had yet to be discovered. Talk to a marxist and he'll show you that the bourgeoisie is much more adept at playing the game than the proletariat. Talk to an economist however, and he'll throw sand into your eyes to distract you from an uncomfortable truth : "Trust me bro, we just need to make the cake bigger". Just make the cake the bigger... as if somehow, starting the renaissance, we magically figured out an economic system that allows us to grow economies like no other before. In tech-bro speak, it was all just "skill issue". But then, you remember the exponential leaps in technological progress and the new forms of energy harnessed. You point this out, and the economist scrambles with an indian accent "let me tell you something, let me me tell you something, it was the new economic paradigm and its countless jewish monetary tricks". Sound silly right ? That's what everyone believes nowadays. After all, isn't everybody trying to get rich ? Everyone dreams of a Bugatti, just in case they are suddenly asked to prove that they are not brokies. But how many can harness the sociopathic behavior that's necessary to grow your business? I'd argue that those are the minority. Or maybe I am being naive. Just like we are fast to revert to zero-sum thinking, we are also fast in discarding empathy for others when money starts flowing. The fact remains though, being rich is not about creating the most value, it's about maximizing your side of the zero-sum equation. Put yourself in the shoes of the capital holder. Every cent he gives you for your work is a missing one from his big scrooge mcduck like pile of pennies. The capitalist's essence is to make his side of the equation go as far away from 0 as he can possibly get away with. He only gives away when he is promised a bigger return, or when he wants to avoid a bigger loss. These are the rules of the game. Rules the masses have such a hard time coping with, Sociology was invented to study its effect on their confused plebeian brains.
Among the sea of copes, one held some truth for a couple of decades. Let us refer to this idea as the "meritocratic cope", which goes something like this : Even if you don't physically own the means of production, you can have a cozy life if you can develop some skills that require an above average-intellect. How much above average depends on too many factors to cite. But over time, the overall trend has been that the more advanced technology got, the farther away from the middle of the bell curve you needed to be. For those with lesser intellects but loads of money, you could also coast through life with a series of bullshit jobs. You just need a pay-to-win diploma from a fancy school made by the rich for their less genetically fortunate off-springs. Both paths are not equal. The former genocides your hair follicles, nukes your skin, empties your eyes and gives you a vague air of "this guy has been through some shit". The latter is rife with opportunities to enjoy life, expand your horizons with equally narrow minded peers, and you end up walking out feeling competent to tard-wrangle the unorganized entropy of the labour force into higher quarterly earnings. You're not just an idea guy, you're a visionary. You don't know how to do anything yourself, but it's okay. You are a visionary.
But this is coming to an end. I'm not quite sure about the second path, but I can quite confidently assert that it's over for the former. The culprit? Artificial intelligence. If you were wondering where this rigmarole was leading to, it was all necessary exposition to understand where all the hate I have towards AI is coming from. In my next article, we will examine why the latest AI progress is the ultimate "checkmate, atheist" move to whomever has hope for a brighter future. No more hope, no more cope, no more peace, just problems.
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The thief of cope
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