Algeria Severs Diplomatic Ties with Morocco, Spain Monitors Regional Tensions

The decision made public by Ramtane Lamamra, Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, during a press briefing on Tuesday, does not surprise Spain, indicate official sources from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, adding that this breakdown of diplomatic relations between Morocco and Algeria should in no way affect Spain. The breakdown was therefore not a surprise because on August 18, Algeria had already decided to "review" its relations with Morocco due to "acts of hostility". The country of Abdelmadjid Tebboune accuses Morocco of being involved in the fires in Kabylia, which resulted in the death of several Algerians. It also accuses Morocco of spying on it via the Israeli software Pegasus.

In his speech on the occasion of the Throne Feast on August 20, King Mohammed VI tried to ease tensions, calling for privileging "the logic of common sense and the higher interests" of Morocco and Algeria in order to overcome this crisis "in which the energies of our two countries are wasted". But the king’s call remained unanswered, the issue of the Sahara’s sovereignty being the main cause of the disagreements. President Tebboune therefore did not accept Mohammed VI’s outstretched hand.

Beyond the element of surprise, the breakdown of diplomatic relations between Algeria and Morocco affects Spain, which has just resumed dialogue with Morocco after four months of open diplomatic crisis after welcoming Brahim Ghali, the leader of the Polisario Front, from Algeria, to a hospital in Logroño. Moreover, the three countries have signed several agreements in the areas of migration, security and trade. Morocco is the first destination for Spanish investments on the African continent and Algeria supplies gas to Spain.

For its part, Morocco has taken note of this "unilateral decision of the Algerian authorities to break off diplomatic relations with Morocco as of today (Tuesday)". In a brief statement from its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it regretted the "unjustified but expected" reaction from Algeria and "the fallacious, even absurd, pretexts that underlie it". "Morocco will continue to be a credible and loyal partner of the Algerian people and will continue to act, with wisdom and responsibility, for the development of a healthy and fruitful regional community," the statement concluded.