After the Death of an Algerian in Ukraine, These Are the Repercussions of the War on the Algerian Community

The Russian attack on Ukraine caused great damage to many cities. The Ukrainian civilians were not spared the attacks, nor did the other foreigners residing in Ukraine. Namely, the Algerian community, which consists mainly of medical and pharmacy students in Ukrainian universities.

On February 27, the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Community Abroad announced its deep regret for the death of an Algerian national in Kharkiv.

According to the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, its diplomatic team is working hard, within the framework of the available means, to transport the body of the deceased to the homeland.

On the other hand, the ministry requested the Algerians living in Ukraine to keep at the utmost caution because of the serious danger. And to stay in constant contact with the embassy in Kiev and with the diplomatic missions of the Foreign Ministry in Warsaw and Bucharest for those who crossed the Ukrainian borders towards Poland and Romania.

Most of the Algerians in Ukraine are students, and their number is more than a thousand, according to a statement by the Ukrainian ambassador to Algeria in the year 2020

 

Official Rescue Plan

The Algerian authorities called on European countries close to Ukraine to provide facilities to ensure that the Algerian community cross the borders of these countries, in preparation for their evacuation to the homeland.

On February 28, the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a meeting with the ambassadors of Romania and Poland, as well as the Chargé d'Affairs of Hungary in Algeria, in the context of following up on the situation of the Algerian community in Ukraine.

More than 700 Algerian students had arrived at the Polish border, where coordination is underway to arrange their evacuation to Algeria.

The Algerian authorities obtained assurances from Poland, Hungary, Moldova and Romania to ensure the entry of Algerian nationals without visas, and to allow them to cross the borders, to escape the bloody war in Ukraine.

In an interview with Al-Magharibia TV, the medical student Johaina Beljohar, who was able to leave Kyiv and reach Poland, said that she called 1,000 times the green number provided by the Algerian government without any answer.

As for her friends, who were “lucky” to get in touch with the embassy. Their fears, questions and requests for help were answered by a standard message: “You need to carefully read the statement’s embassy calling for caution. Go to the shelters or stay at home.”

On February 28, Nazim Daamach, an Algerian student in Ukraine told Al-Nar Algerian TV: “Although many Algerian students have left the country, many are still stuck at the borders. It is estimated that about 60%  of students managed to get out but not everyone. There are still many students in Kyiv. As for the border city of Kharkiv, it witnessed complete destruction, and Russia declared its control over it.

 

Support & Voluntary Aid

The Forum of Algerians Abroad announced the formation of a crisis cell to communicate and coordinate with nationals in Ukraine, calling on the embassy to intervene to protect the stranded people.

In light of the military escalation between Russia and Ukraine, and the security threats affecting the Algerian community residing in Ukraine, the Forum of Algerians Abroad organized a session on the situation of the community there through a social networking application to see the situation of Algerian students stranded in the cities where the war erupted.

According to a statement by the forum, the meeting concluded with the formation of a crisis cell to communicate and coordinate with the Algerians in Ukraine.

The student Johaina Beljohar emphasized that: “There are people in their own cars who volunteered to drive civilians to Poland or Romanian borders. We, as an Algerian community, are cooperating with the Moroccan and Tunisian communities so that we can all leave the country as soon as possible.“

Johaina Beljohar praised the efforts of the private agencies bringing Algerian Students to Ukraine. She explained that these agencies effectively facilitated the transportation of many Algerian Students to the safe borders. However, there were no special procedures from the Algerian embassy to facilitate the exit of the Algerian community, she stressed.

 

Students’ Future

In an interview with Al-Estiklal, Dr. Mohamed Amine Mokraoui Professor of International Law at Kyiv National University stated: “The Algerian community, like the rest of the communities, did not expect the war to take place in Ukraine, mainly due to the appeasement policy that was adopted by the Ukrainian authorities.”

He added: “95% of the Algerian community are students in Ukrainian universities. They are largely settled in the east of the country, rarely present in the west. In Kyiv, for example, there were about 500 Algerians. We do not know the exact number because most of the Algerians living in Ukraine are not registered at the Algerian consulate.”

He pointed out: “Most of the Algerian students in Ukraine are in their first or preparatory year of studies, we do not deny the presence of a few in the fourth or fifth year of medicine. Yet, most are still in the beginning of their academic path.”

The expert on politics made it clear that currently, doubt and ambiguity prevails concerning the future of the Algerian students in Ukraine and if the studies will resume or not. Before the war, students asked universities to continue studying remotely, but most universities refused.

He explained that Algerian and Arab students in general will pressure their countries to get integrated in National educational systems to be able to graduate. But obtaining these diplomas in light of the war and with the scale of destruction and chaos has become very difficult in Ukraine.

He emphasized: "It is sad but most likely that years of studies are lost for those in the fourth or fifth grade, except if they had kept a lot of papers to prove their academic achievements. It will become more political than any other consideration. It is the political decision that will determine the future of students who are studying in Ukraine, and if they will be integrated into the Algerian universities."

Mr. Mokraoui concluded by saying: “Many hope for Europe to deal flexibly with the matter and integrate Algerian and Arab students in European universities. Although I do not believe that this option is possible for now, it might be possible in the future depending on European political agendas.”