Algeria’s Diplomatic About-Face: Warming Up to Spain After a Chilly Stalemate
Algeria’s foreign policy has taken a dramatic U-turn, leaving many observers scratching their heads. After a two-year freeze, relations with Spain are thawing, despite Algeria’s previous hardline stance. This shift raises questions about the motivations of the Algerian government and the future of regional dynamics.
The chill set in back in March 2022 when Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced his country’s support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for the disputed Western Sahara region. Algeria, a staunch supporter of the Polisario Front, which seeks independence for Western Sahara, reacted furiously. The Algerian government recalled its ambassador from Madrid, suspended a 2002 friendship treaty, and imposed trade restrictions, effectively freezing economic relations between the two countries. These actions seemed to signal a deep rift, with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune tying any normalization of relations to Spain reversing its position on the Western Sahara issue.
Fast forward to November 2023, and the landscape looks remarkably different. Algeria appointed a new ambassador to Madrid, citing perceived signals (later denied by Spain) of a potential shift in the Spanish stance on Western Sahara. The economic sanctions were swiftly lifted, and trade resumed, with Algeria even reaffirming its commitment to supplying Spain with natural gas. This rapprochement culminated in a surprise visit by Algerian Interior Minister Ibrahim Mourad to Madrid in early 2024 – the first such high-level visit since the diplomatic freeze began. This followed a cordial meeting between Algerian and Spanish foreign ministers in Johannesburg, where the Western Sahara issue was conspicuously absent from the agenda.
This sudden about-face is particularly perplexing given Algeria’s simultaneous escalation of tensions with France, another key player in the Western Sahara dispute. France’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the territory further fueled the Algerian government’s anti-French rhetoric. Some analysts interpret Algeria’s renewed embrace of Spain as a strategic maneuver, a message to France that its aggressive posturing is merely a temporary tactic for domestic consumption. This theory suggests that the Algerian elite, many of whom hold French citizenship and have deep ties to France, are unlikely to sustain a prolonged conflict with Paris.
The Algerian government’s sudden softening towards Spain, without any apparent concessions from Madrid on the Western Sahara issue, raises questions about the sustainability of this renewed relationship. Is this a genuine reset, or a tactical maneuver driven by other geopolitical considerations? The long-term implications for the Western Sahara conflict, and for the broader regional power dynamics, remain to be seen. The situation underscores the complex interplay of political, economic, and historical factors that shape relations in this volatile region. Further analysis and observation will be crucial to understanding the true nature and trajectory of this evolving diplomatic dance.
Keywords: Algeria, Spain, Morocco, Western Sahara, Polisario Front, diplomacy, foreign policy, international relations, North Africa, Maghreb, natural gas, trade, sanctions, political analysis.
