Just found this in the news:

After 15 years of closed Moroccan-Algerian border, and after many calls to open the border by Rabat and several Arab and Western capitals, sources in Algiers say that Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has taken the decision to reopen the closed border with Morocco, after the mediation by Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah that took place while he was recovering from surgery in Morocco. Another source familiar with the issue of reopening the Moroccan-Algerian border said it was also influenced by internal calculations in Algeria. Most Algerian tourists went to Tunisia to spend their holidays, and as long as Tunisia is now in a transitional phase after the overthrow of the dictator Benali, the only other alternative tourist destination is Morocco due to its geographical proximity, in addition to the tough measures imposed by France and the other "Schengen"countries on the granting of visas to Algerians.

A tourism executive in Morocco said that Morocco could host an additional 1.5 to 2 million tourists from Algeria annually, and this could be a shot in the arm for tourism, and also revive a number of projects in the east of the country, which were damaged by the earlier decision to close the border.

On the other hand, observers do not exclude the importance of the visit by U.S. envoy to North Africa and the Middle East William Burns to the region last week that addressed the relationship between Morocco and Algeria, and the need for normalization between the two neighbors to confront the major challenges faced by both systems of governance from the outbreak of demonstrations calling for reform, led by young people in this region.

Morocco Algeria Border To Open Shortly

Great news from the traveller's POV! Let's hope it works out.

Good news

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Carpe Diem

NICEEE! we will wait and see if it really happens and when. bad that the security and travel regulations are not that good right now but this step will give new travel oppurtinities!

This is great news, Now all we need is Libiya, Egypt and Tunisia to stableise and I can resserrect my plans to do a complete lap of the Med.

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http://mudandknobblies.co.uk
http://www.justgiving.com/FMFox

a short cut to timbucto then????????
hope so..

+1

Although as much as I try I simply can't help getting my hopes up to do a complete circuit of the Med Algeria and Morocco included!!!

I'm planning a trip but didn't count on Algeria, no it looks like I should.

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TurboCharger + Francois (our BMW R1200gs) '07
www.riding2up.net, blog.riding2up.net

I too am hopeful but the only other news I've read on this is a rehashing of the moroccoboard story.

The border reopening been mooted several times in the past but the only guy who managed to get the barriers lifted was 'Gorgeous George' Galloway who helped organise the Viva Palestina aid convoy, see Youtube video of the crossing.

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"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)