Algerian gas vs Moroccan alliance: Spain’s perilous balancing act

This Thursday, the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, is visiting Algiers after years of diplomatic chill. As analyzed by the Spanish-speaking media Infobae, the historical rivalry between the two Maghreb powers constantly forces third countries to a perilous tightrope walking exercise. While Spain had recently chosen to align itself with the Moroccan position on the Western Sahara, the imperative need to secure its energy supplies is now pushing it to resume dialogue with Algeria.

On Bladi.net: Ceuta, Melilla, Sahara: Spain under Moroccan pressure

On the Rabat side, Morocco is increasingly asserting itself on the international stage, thanks to its solid alliances with the United States and Israel. However, this diplomatic strengthening is raising some concerns in Spain regarding potential territorial claims on the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. The government of Pedro Sánchez, remembering the massive influx of 10,000 migrants into Ceuta in 2021, is careful to accommodate its Moroccan neighbor. However, this new outreach to Algeria risks once again distancing the positions between Madrid and Rabat.

The stake of this visit to Algiers is indeed primarily energy-related. On the agenda for the day is a crucial meeting with Mohamed Arkab, the Algerian Minister of Hydrocarbons. Algeria has established itself as Spain’s leading supplier of natural gas for three consecutive years until 2025. Although the United States briefly took the lead in exports in January 2026, Madrid’s objective is to obtain an increase in Algerian flows through the Medgaz pipeline, despite the recent diplomatic setbacks (the previous 2024 meeting having been canceled only 12 hours before the visit).

On Bladi.net: Trump’s threats to Spain: Morocco in ambush to recover US logistics infrastructure

This gas equation shows a profound difference in status in Spain’s relations in the Maghreb. While Algeria remains an indispensable supplier, the diplomatic thaw with Morocco has paradoxically transformed the Kingdom into a major customer, becoming the second largest buyer of Spanish gas behind Portugal at the beginning of 2026. Spain thus finds itself caught in a vise, dependent on the resources of one while having to preserve its partnership with the other, which remains unable to substitute it energetically.