A former Algerian minister accuses Morocco of blackmail

"Due to the blackmail position of the United States through the recognition of Israel in exchange for the recognition of Morocco on the Western Sahara [...] this has given Morocco the feeling that blackmail is possible with everyone, this is a big problem," analyzes Abdelaziz Rahabi, former Algerian minister. He thus refers to the events that preceded the change in Spain’s position on the Sahara issue. In May 2021, more than 8,000 candidates for emigration managed to enter by sea in Ceuta, causing a serious crisis between Madrid and Rabat.

Spain saw in this unprecedented influx of migrants a diplomatic warning shot from Morocco. Less than a month later, the European Union (EU) denounced Rabat’s migratory blackmail. In March 2022, Madrid radically changed its position on Western Sahara. The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, had recognized the "Moroccan autonomy plan for the Western Sahara". He had also recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over this territory, colonized by Spain until 1975. This change of position aroused the anger of the Algerian authorities who decided, at the beginning of June 2022, to proceed with the "immediate" suspension of the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborliness and Cooperation, concluded on October 8, 2002 with Madrid.

For Abdelaziz Rahabi, this new position of Spain, which remains "the administering power of Western Sahara" and which continues de facto to have "a historical responsibility" in the occupation of this territory by Morocco, means that the country "has lost its strength and its status as a moderating power" and "has chosen the status of any other European country". He will add that this position causes Madrid to "lose all its weight" "in the search for an acceptable solution for all parties to the conflict". "To this day, we have no explanation. The Algerian government has not received any official explanation on the matter, apart from what has been published in the Spanish press and the letter addressed to the King of Morocco," continued the former Algerian ambassador to Madrid.