Director of Al Jazeera TV station in North Africa Hassan Errachedi : Al Jazeera can not arbitrarily stop broadcast

Hassan Errachedi, the director of Al Jazeera TV station in Morocco denied that the decision to ban it from broadcast is due to technical or legal reasons. He still wonders whether it is a political decision.

How did the idea to set up Al Jazeera TV station in North Africa come?

It was in 2004 after consultations at the central headoffice in Doha. Then, a demand was submitted to Moroccan authorities and it was accepted.

In the beginning, there was no more than a news bulletin on North Africa for around one hour.

What are the main objectives of this project?

This way in dealing with North African television-viewers did not exist before. Al Jazeera has always played the role of acquaintance between North Africa’s people. We have been the link between the Middle East and North Africa. Then, it was the beginning to invite locals from North Africa to comment events in the Middle East and vice versa. Thus, we could open another angle for Arab television-viewers.

You focus a lot on Mauritania compared to other countries with more population like in Algeria…What is the reason for?

It is a matter of capacities. We focus on a given region according to the allowed work there. In Mauritania, we have a bureau there while we do not have one in Algeria. We are based in many of our reports on media and press although Algeria is a main piece in the Arab World especially in North Africa.

It is said that Algerian authorities are behind the decision to not permit Al Jazeera broadcasting in Algeria. On the other hand, Algerian Communication Minister Boukerzaza said it was the channel which did not submit the demand. What’s your comment?

Certainly, I read the story on your newspaper about this topic but I have no ideas about details because it is beyond me. I believe it is up to the central administration in Doha to decide.

It is alleged that the suspension decision is due to a political reason under the form of the Western Sahara issue and Heikel’s statements?

We do not know the real reasons for the suspension decision neither we notify that political causes are behind that.

What were the Moroccan authorities based on in the suspension decision?

There is an overlap of things. When the bureau was opened, we had received an authorisation from communication ministry before the High Body of Audiovisual was created. We submitted our file to it and a Moroccan corporation with a Qatari capital was set up respecting Moroccan laws. We constituted a complementary file and we asked to settle our legal situation but the file remained pending.

In the first time, we were said that they were busy with the September’s legislative elections and then, summer came. That meant vacation. The president of the body was changed after he had been transferred to high education ministry and his position remained vacant. All that time, we had written the concerned authorities but we did not receive any reply.

What are the measures you took to solve that problem?

The decision to ban the news bulletin in Rabat was taken, ten days ago. We have taken a temporary decision to continue the news program from the Qatari capital pending for clarifying things. We have contacted Moroccan officials to know the origin of the problem and required solutions. We have also dealt with the concerned authorities and the communication ministry. We are still waiting for a soon solution.

Is there any sign to solve the problem?

We have been reassured that the problem would be solved soon. We are working on finding a definitive solution to avoid that it happens again in future.

So, you have felt a wish from the concerned authorities to review the suspension decision?

We noticed a change in the way of dealing with us and a sort of comprehension. There is a wish to solve pending problems.

Is it true that the next destination of the bureau will be Algeria or a close European city like Paris or Madrid if the suspension decision continues?

Logic says Al Jazeera as a channel is a real institution which can not make a final decision without having all data.

Things are not complete yet but the general administration ahs a strategic point of view to deal with any circumstance.

There are competitor satellite channels as they deal with events in North Africa. Is it a problem for you within the suspension decision and fears of loosing a big part of television-viewers in this period?

We accept competitions with satisfaction and we will not be embarrassed any more. We used to consider ourselves as the pupil who is lonely in his school and always gets the best score. Now, the presence of other channels will motivate every one to competition and quality.     

What do you think about the Algerian press and liberty of expression in Algeria?

I believe that the Algerian press is going more professional and I could know many Algerian personalities including experts and professors thanks to the North African news bulletin. They have always constituted an additional value to the news bulletins.

Do you have a message to send through Echorouk?

Thank you very much for this care. I am proud of one thing, that many North Africans started knowing Echorouk newspaper through Al Jazeera channel. This confirms my conviction of the efficiency of the project we are working on.