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North Africa Topics specific to North Africa and the Sahara down to the 17th parallel (excludes Morocco)
Photo by Lois Pryce, schoolkids in Algeria

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Photo of Lois Pryce, UK
and schoolkids in Algeria



Trans Sahara Routes.

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  #1  
Old 23 Dec 2009
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Answers
Ulrich - no comment

AliBaba - no, anythig that rolls. See 'Entry info' section of the website.

grizzly7 - guides are for individual travelers, this is an organized event supported by the government of Algeria. We'll have backup we like it or not...
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  #2  
Old 23 Dec 2009
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Quote:
Ulrich - no comment
- that's better for You.

And

Quote:
this is an organized event supported by the government of Algeria
- where is that written on Your webside? I don't believe this. Show us original contracts with the Algerian governement. - I know, You can't, they don't exist.
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  #3  
Old 23 Dec 2009
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Hi,
Quote:
We'll have backup we like it or not...
what does that mean for the participants?
Will they have to travel escorted by Gendarmerie or military?
__________________
Yves
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  #4  
Old 23 Dec 2009
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Hi,

>what does that mean for the participants?

We have a meeting with the representatives of the ministry of internal affairs (they say the minister himself, we'll see), the president and secretary general of the Algerian Technical Sport Association and some other bureaucrats in Algiers on the 31st, then we'll see what is the common state of affairs. Our latest info is that all of them (i.e. four ministries and a numerous other institutions) already approved the project ->signed the necessary papers.

Depending on the number of participants they'll send kind of an escort, but the number of these people and their involvement is part of the negotiation. Knowing the characteristics of the event we don't want them to interfere too much but we can't get away without having them with us.

I can tell you more after the meeting.

And also show some 'facts' to doubting Ulrich...

Greets,
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  #5  
Old 23 Dec 2009
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Algeria: If there is an organized group of more than five foreigners/tourists, they get a police escort. Traffic police and civilian agents when traveling on the north and gandarmerie when traveling by the main roads between the oases (Taghit, Beni Abbes, Timimoun, El Golea, Ghardaia). There is some gun fire between islamists groups and police lately, read El Watan.
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  #6  
Old 23 Dec 2009
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Trans sahara security
How do you ’escort’ 50 to 100 vehicles especially if the attitude from the escorted is we “don't want them to interfere too much”? If an escort means a convoy then I think the organizers have to decide what is the purpose of the convoy. If it is considered to be just some bureaucratic hindrance then this attitude will percolate down to all the participants and they will do their best to escape from it confines (and probably succeed). If the dangers in Algeria are real then this could place them is some real danger. If on the other hand they really believe that they need it then you can forget about rallying through Algeria as it will be a procession and likely a pretty slow one at that. One solution is to organize special stages in safe areas and convoy between the stages. I have been in a few ‘convoys and they tend to disintegrate after the first ten minutes unless someone lays down the law. A puncture – everyone stops; boiling radiator everyone stops etc. A convoy of, say 50 vehicles, is torturous. As individuals we can take risks with our own lives but as organizers of an event the responsibility is greater.
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  #7  
Old 14 Feb 2010
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Hey there,

back from Africa - it was a great but exhausting trip lasting 35 days.

I'm more than happy to answer all questions re. Algeria, Niger and Benin.

"How do you ’escort’ 50 to 100 vehicles especially if the attitude from the escorted is we “don't want them to interfere too much”?"

They know the route for the specific date incl. GPS coordinates and make 'posts' en route, i.e. they'll be 'around'. That's the only way to give freedom for the participants still secure the route.
Convoy is not an option and they understand it.

We got something similar in Mauritania 2 years ago. There was a black dressed guy behind every dune - just in case.

Our escort (2 cars, 4 people) was way over organized from border to border with a minimum of 3 cars (9-10) people to 15 cars (incl. 2 trucks of soldiers, 50 armed men in total). They slowed us down a bit but couldn't do much - it was not that bad considering we worked with them for the first time.

Overall it was fun and the route is truly magnificient.

Greets,


TSR
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