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6th African Crosscountry Championships, Hammamet Tunisia 25th Feb 2024 2804

Aziz Daouda, 1 y.
1 min read.
Part 1 The 6th African Crosscountry Championships took place in Hammamet, Tunisia on Sunday February 25, 2024. Only 9 nations took part in these resumption championships after the interruption due to covid. If the number of participants was not significant, however, the quality was there with the participation of the great African and world cross-country nations. The golf course was simply extraordinarily beautiful. The number of natural obstacles and the variety of the course made this edition one of the best in African cross country if not the best one ever. Even the sometimes very strong wind could not prevent the athletes from giving their best, as demonstrated by the quality of the results. It must be said also, that the perfect organization of the Tunisian federation and the warm welcome, had a lot to do with this great success. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Individual results xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 10 km Male BIP Name Nat. Time 1. 37 VINCENT KIBET Langat Kenya 00:28:31,28 2. 36 NAIBEI KIPLIMO Mayabei Kenya 00:28:40,27 3. 13 GEMECHU DIDA Diriba Éthiopie 00:28:57,23 4. 116 CHEBET Abel Ouganda 00:29:01,81 5. 41 VINCENT Kimaiyo Kenya 00:29:04,10 6. 15 ADISU NEGASH Wake Éthiopie 00:29:12,34 7. 40 BRIAN KIPTOO Bushendich Kenya 00:29:14,23 8. 12 DINKALEM AYELE Adane Éthiopie 00:29:15,07 9. 38 FREDRICK YEKO Domongole Kenya 00:29:15,31 10. 16 ENYEW NIGAT Tamen Éthiopie 00:29:30,25 11. 121 KIPROTICH Levi Ouganda 00:29:33,88 12. 118 MUTAI Ezekiel Ouganda 00:29:47,20 13. 39 ROBERT KIPROP Koech Kenya 00:30:02,17 14. 79 TORISS Hassan Maroc 00:30:03,19 15. 101 JHINAOUI Mohamed Amine Tunisie 00:30:09,64 16. 4 BENKERDAGH Youcef Algérie 00:30:10,08 17. 17 NYAKOLA Gela Teresa Éthiopie 00:30:28,94 18. 77 AKKAOUI Mustapha Maroc 00:30:32,35 19. 119 CHEPTOEK Elijah Ouganda 00:30:40,12 20. 78 OUTADHA Hicham Maroc 00:30:46,54 21. 76 OUTALHA Mohcine Maroc 00:30:47,42 22. 2 EL HANNACHI Nabil Algérie 00:30:54,00 23. 6 BOUCHICHA Hichem Algérie 00:31:01,00 24. 5 ADOUCHE Youcef Algérie 00:31:03,39 25. 3 GUERINE Ali Algérie 00:31:05,75 26. 81 DARDAR Ayoub Maroc 00:31:17,05 27. 1 OUARGHI Ramdane Algérie 00:31:46,00 28. 102 JRIDI Mohamed Ibrahim Tunisie 00:31:46,79 29. 80 EL ALLAMI Yassine Maroc 00:31:52,18 30. 10 FORTES Silva Artur Jorge Cap-Vert 00:32:38,69 31. 105 ASSADI Makrem Tunisie 00:32:46,16 32. 103 SLIMENI Oussama Tunisie 00:33:20,45 33. 104 SOUISSI Nassim Tunisie 00:34:05,97 34. 100 MAGNAN YANICK Jean-François Seychelles 00:36:08,64 DNF 120 KIPLANGAT Alex Ouganda DNF 127 ABREHA Moges Tuemay Éthiopie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 10 km wemen 1. 45 CHEPNGENO Cintia Kenya 00:32:31,04 2. 48 NYAMBURA Virginia Kenya 00:32:33,45 3. 19 AZIMERAW Asires Degitu Éthiopie 00:33:03,95 4. 49 MONGARE Gladys Kwamboka Kenya 00:33:10,18 5. 20 DESSIE Genaneh Anchinalu Éthiopie 00:33:25,87 6. 50 CHEBET Caren Kenya 00:33:39,84 7. 46 BEGI BEATRICE Nyaboga Kenya 00:33:50,52 8. 18 ABRAHA Tsige Haileslase Éthiopie 00:34:06,02 9. 21 SEWAGEGN Gelaw Yalga Éthiopie 00:34:06,21 10. 47 TUEI SANGRAFELIS Chebet Kenya 00:34:17,58 11. 128 AZALE Fantaye Belayneh Éthiopie 00:35:08,01 12. 22 DEMILEW ZEMENAY Ayana Éthiopie 00:35:08,89 13. 84 BOUAGGAD Hanane Maroc 00:35:41,14 14. 82 QALLOUJ Hanane Maroc 00:35:58,78 15. 7 BENDEBRAL Malika Algérie 00:36:10,17 16. 86 KAHHAZ Kaoutar Maroc 00:36:28,76 17. 87 AAFIR Fatima Maroc 00:36:37,80 18. 85 ZAHI Hasnae Maroc 00:37:03,40 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 8km U20 boys 1. 61 KIPNGETICH Gideon Kenya 00:23:16,34 2. 65 RUTO Joash Kiprotich Kenya 00:23:17,31 3. 60 KIPROTICH Titus Kenya 00:23:18,02 4. 63 MAYWA Simon Kenya 00:23:21,96 5. 35 HAGOS EYOBE Gared Éthiopie 00:23:24,85 6. 62 NGETICH Clinton Kimutai Kenya 00:23:29,78 7. 33 ABDISA FAYISA Gutama Éthiopie 00:23:35,98 8. 32 SEMACHW SEWNET Worku Éthiopie 00:23:46,85 9. 30 SEYOUM BEHARU Regasa Éthiopie 00:24:03,43 10. 34 NIBRET KINDE Mogese Éthiopie 00:24:07,49 11. 64 WANJIRU Joseph Njoroge Kenya 00:24:23,62 12. 93 ERRADOUANI Oussama Maroc 00:24:24,53 13. 31 NEGASA DEKEBA Bikela Éthiopie 00:24:25,49 14. 95 AAOURDOU Ilyas Maroc 00:24:30,05 15. 97 EL MOBARAKY Mohamed Maroc 00:25:18,51 16. 96 AACHOUR Abdelwahed Maroc 00:25:29,73 17. 98 FARIS Ahmed Maroc 00:25:34,78 18. 94 ZOUHAIR Redouane Maroc 00:26:04,02 19. 114 MEJRI Rayene Tunisie 00:26:43,81 20. 112 HIZAOUI Hamza Tunisie 00:27:53,68 21. 111 KHASKHOUSSI Iheb Tunisie 00:28:09,30 22. 122 BEN SALAH Muad Libye 00:29:42,87 23. 123 ABOURAS Asil Amer Mabrouk Libye 00:29:55,78 24. 124 HIBU Abdoussalam Libye 00:31:12,70 25. 99 URANIETIPHANO Paul Seychelles 00:32:01,78 26. 129 MOHAMED RADDOU Mustapha Libye 00:32:42,61 27. 125 BALOUMI Mohamed Libye 00:32:46,08 28. 126 ELGOMATI Omar Libye 00:36:10,17 DNF 113 SETOUTI Mustapha Tunisie 00:21:26,65 DNF 115 DOUZI Omar Tunisie 00:20:35,23 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 6km U20 girls 1. 24 DIRIBA ROBE Dida Éthiopie 00:20:59,33 2. 26 ADEMAS YENENESH Shimket Éthiopie 00:21:00,18 3. 28 DAGNAW TINEBEB Asres Éthiopie 00:21:00,56 4. 27 YADETI MEKEDES Alemeshete Éthiopie 00:21:02,16 5. 25 OLEKABA KOKBE Abera Éthiopie 00:21:03,05 6. 56 CHEPKOECH Judy Kenya 00:21:03,68 7. 54 JEPNGETICH Marion Kenya 00:21:05,03 8. 29 ALMAZ YOHANNIS Bude Éthiopie 00:21:07,47 9. 57 WAMBUI Lucy Nduta Kenya 00:21:09,09 10. 58 CHEPKEMOI Sharon Kenya 00:21:11,62 11. 53 CHEPKIRUI Cynthia Kenya 00:21:19,90 12. 55 KEMUNTO Judy Kenya 00:21:58,53 13. 90 IBN ABDEL MATEY Housna Maroc 00:22:04,35 14. 92 EL BOUZI Saida Maroc 00:22:23,40 15. 88 BALI Khadouj Maroc 00:22:23,98 16. 91 IBN ABDEL MATEY Hassana Maroc 00:22:28,69 17. 89 GHIZLANE Hiba Maroc 00:22:54,29
Aziz Daouda

Aziz Daouda

Directeur Technique et du Développement de la Confédération Africaine d'Athlétisme. Passionné du Maroc, passionné d'Afrique. Concerné par ce qui se passe, formulant mon point de vue quand j'en ai un. Humaniste, j'essaye de l'être, humain je veux l'être. Mon histoire est intimement liée à l'athlétisme marocain et mondial. J'ai eu le privilège de participer à la gloire de mon pays .


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Mauritania Facing Security, Diplomatic, and Geopolitical Recomposition Challenges in the Sahel.. 383

Aziz Daouda, 2 d.
After four years of intervention, the Russian paramilitary group Wagner officially announced its withdrawal from Mali in June 2025. It had been active in the region since 2021. This departure occurs in a context marked by a resurgence of jihadist attacks weakening Malian and regional stability. Wagner’s departure does not signify a Russian disengagement, as its missions are being taken over by a new paramilitary organization, the Africa Corps, directly controlled by the Russian Ministry of Defense. This group, born after the failed coup attempt by former Wagner leaders in 2023, continues Russia’s strategy of influence in Africa, notably in what is declared to be the training of Malian forces to face the rising terrorist threats. This transition illustrates the complexity of the security context in the Sahel, where Wagner’s relative failure to stabilize Mali and contain Tuareg and jihadist armed groups forces Moscow to readjust its methods while maintaining its strategic influence. This new situation raises serious questions about the real capacity to contain terrorism in the region, especially at Mali’s border with Mauritania. Meanwhile, the Polisario Front, a separatist movement, is increasingly associated with terrorist activities. In Spain, a militant affiliated with the Polisario was arrested for preparing terrorist acts against Morocco, with evidence of incitement to jihadism and acquisition of explosive materials. This radicalization fits into a dynamic where the Polisario cooperates more closely with Islamist groups, notably benefiting from the support of Iran and its proxies including Hezbollah. Well-documented longstanding links exist between the Polisario and terrorist groups in the Sahel, such as the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, whose founders were former Polisario fighters. This collusion manifests through logistical support, arms transfers, and increased militarization, including the use of suicide drones supplied by Iran. These facts reinforce the perception of the Polisario not only as a separatist actor but also as a vector of instability and terrorism in the region. At the same time, Morocco has recorded numerous diplomatic breakthroughs and growing international pressure to formalize Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara provinces. In 2024, Morocco achieved several major victories in the international recognition of its sovereignty over its southern provinces. More than 116 countries, including powers like France, now support the Moroccan autonomy plan as the only viable solution to the conflict. This position was recently shared by the United Kingdom following the United States. Influential African countries such as Côte d'Ivoire and, more recently, Ghana have done the same. The fresh stance of Zuma’s party in South Africa further confirms this evolution. Morocco’s diplomatic progress relies on skilled international relations management and active engagement in regional security, notably in the Sahel. The Kingdom’s tact is evident as it avoids embarrassing its southern neighbor Mauritania, which has long recognized the so-called RASD puppet entity. It is also important to recall the U.S. intention to classify the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization, a measure supported by analyses documenting its links with Hezbollah, the PKK, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Cuba, Venezuela, and other states unfriendly to the U.S. This classification aims to reveal the true nature of the Polisario. In this context, Mauritania finds itself in turmoil. Things have moved too fast. The comfort it once enjoyed is gone. The conjunction of these developments forces the country’s authorities to rethink their political positioning. Faced with the recurring fragility caused by the Polisario, which hinders its development and threatens its stability, and observing Algeria’s inability to move beyond Boumediene’s legacy to ensure effective security, Mauritania is inevitably pushed toward rapprochement with Morocco. Morocco is perceived as the only actor capable of guaranteeing lasting security in the region, especially against rising terrorist threats and current geopolitical challenges. Some Mauritanian publications already address this question very directly. This shows that Mauritanian decision-makers are indeed embracing this paradigm shift. Recent movements by the Mauritanian army align with this trend, especially as some Polisario cadres no longer hesitate to threaten Mauritania, which they label as a traitor. This tension further complicates Mauritania’s capacity to secure its borders, a young country whose resources remain very limited given the vastness of its borders, notably with Mali and Algeria. In this environment, Algeria, a blind and staunch supporter of the Polisario, today appears more trapped in rhetoric without real capacity for action, which weakens its regional position. Mauritania seems to have understood this for some time, though perhaps not openly. Conversely, Morocco, strengthened by its diplomatic successes and proven commitment to counterterrorism, appears as an indispensable partner for Mauritania in its quest for stability and prosperity. It would therefore not be surprising to see Mauritania in the very near future withdraw its recognition of the so-called RASD puppet entity or at least move away from what it has so far called a positive neutrality. In fact, Mauritania has already distanced itself somewhat from the separatists, which does not please Algeria, which is losing influence. The withdrawal of Wagner from Mali, the radicalization of the Polisario which seems overwhelmed, Morocco’s diplomatic successes, and the likely imminent designation of the Polisario as a terrorist organization by the U.S. clearly redraw the geopolitical map of the Sahel and the Maghreb. Mauritania is probably preparing for this and even taking the lead. In this shifting context, it is pushed toward a natural strategic realignment with Morocco, the only actor capable of offering a credible security alternative against terrorist threats and development challenges. This repositioning marks a major step in the reshaping of regional alliances, with profound implications for the future stability of the Sahel and the reconfiguration of North Africa.

His Majesty King Mohammed VI: Heir to a Tradition, Architect of Sovereign Modernity 384

Aziz Daouda, 2 d.
Long before the major transformations of the 1920s, Morocco experienced significant attempts at modernization under the reign of Hassan I (1873-1894). A visionary Sultan, Hassan I undertook reforms of the administration, strengthened the army, and developed infrastructure, notably roads and communications. His efforts encountered a conservative internal context, marked by resistance from the fouqahas (Islamic scholars) and elites attached to traditional structures. He also faced increasing pressure from European powers seeking to establish themselves in Morocco. These dual obstacles limited the scope of the reforms but nevertheless laid the foundations for gradual modernization. Before him, Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah, an enlightened 18th-century Sultan, had already played a major role in opening Morocco to the world. He notably founded and developed the port of Essaouira (then Mogador) in 1765, conceived as a strategic commercial hub to control foreign trade. Thanks to its geographic position and infrastructure, Essaouira quickly became an essential crossroads for exchanges between Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and the Mediterranean, thereby strengthening the kingdom’s economic and diplomatic ties. Other sovereigns continued this dynamic. Moulay Abdelaziz (1894-1908) pursued certain military and administrative reforms despite increasing instability. Under the French protectorate, Moulay Youssef (1912-1927) had to navigate colonial domination while trying to preserve some Moroccan sovereignty. Ascending the throne in 1927 at only 19 years old, Mohammed V became a symbol of Moroccan resistance against the French protectorate. Rejecting colonial domination, he supported the nationalist movement, notably during his historic speech in Tangier in 1947, where he called for Moroccan unity and independence. Exiled from 1953 to 1955, his triumphant return marked the beginning of the end of the protectorate. In 1956, he proclaimed independence and laid the foundations of a sovereign Morocco. He then engaged in building a modern state by reforming institutions, unifying the territory, developing education, and initiating economic modernization, creating the Royal Armed Forces and other security bodies while affirming national cultural identity. Son of Mohammed V, Hassan II (1961-1999) consolidated the Moroccan state by establishing a constitutional monarchy and developing essential infrastructure. He skillfully combined tradition and modernity, strengthening national sovereignty while opening the country to foreign investment and international exchanges. Under his reign, Morocco made major advances in economic, social, and cultural fields, laying the groundwork for sustainable modernization and preparing the terrain for current transformations. Hassan II is remembered for gradually recovering the territorial integrity of the Kingdom in a difficult, even hostile, internal and international context. Under Mohammed VI, Morocco is undergoing a profound transformation, comparable in scale to that of the 1920s but within a sovereign and globalized context. His reign, marked by a clear vision and firm will, combines respect for traditions with openness to modernity. The country is investing massively in transport infrastructure: roads, high-speed trains, airports, and public and private facilities throughout the territory. Integration with Western economies has strengthened, making Morocco a preferred destination for foreign direct investment, attracting billions of dollars annually. Flagship projects, especially in preparation for the 2030 World Cup, are stimulating the development of sports, tourism, and cultural infrastructure, affirming the country’s international influence. At the same time, social and economic modernization is underway, with initiatives to improve education, health, innovation, and sustainable development, positioning Morocco within a global and modern dynamic. The country has simply tripled its GDP in less than twenty years. All this reflects continuity and renewal. Morocco is, in fact, in perpetual reinvention. The parallel between the major transformations of the 1920s and the era of Mohammed VI reveals a Morocco capable of constant reinvention. While the metamorphosis of the 1920s was dictated by a colonial context, today’s transformation is the fruit of a sovereign ambition, focused on balanced, inclusive, and sustainable development. It embodies the will of a sovereign with a multilateral vision. No domain is left aside or forgotten. The great projects of yesterday and today testify to an even stronger and more determined energy for transformation, with different goals: to move from a Morocco under tutelage, dependent and powerless in the face of circumstances, to a major player on the international stage, capable of attracting and cooperating with the world and building its future with confidence. Today, Morocco fits into a long tradition of historical metamorphoses. Each era has shaped a dynamic country, attempting modernity and ambitions, sometimes successful, sometimes aborted. Yet it has remained faithful to its millennial history and cultural heritage. Today it is rising, modernizing, and asserting itself as an emerging country on which one can rely. The Kingdom of Mohammed VI is thus ready to meet the challenges of the 21st century with boldness and determination, armed this time with institutions, clear and powerful visions and strategies. The royal will thus guides the country toward genuine development benefiting all, an indispensable geostrategic position, sustainable economic breakthroughs, a reliable political system, and truly irreversible progress.