Kenya-Morocco Diplomatic Shift Raises Tensions Over Western Sahara Dispute

Is Kenya going to abandon Algeria for Morocco on the Sahara issue? The country has announced the opening of its embassy in Rabat and the appointment of Jessica Muthoni Gakinya as its head. This announcement is worrying Algeria. Its president Abdelmadjid Tebboune has sent the Algerian Foreign Minister, Ahmed Attaf, on an official visit to Nairobi.

"Despite Kenya’s hostile position on Morocco’s territorial unity, this has not prevented Rabat from weaving new orientations in Africa through visions of a primarily strategic economic nature," explained Khalid Chayat, professor of international relations, to Al Ayam 24. According to him, there is nothing that could frighten any party, given that the rapprochement between African countries is a natural and normal interest.

"Algeria is immersed in emotional conceptions regarding the Moroccan-Kenyan rapprochement, which it assumes to be a threat to its interests," estimates the academic, assuring that there is no threat to the eastern neighbor. Chayat seems to know Algiers’ motivations. According to him, what motivates it is solely its position on the Moroccan Sahara issue. "Algeria’s continuation in this emotional path will make it lose the traditional patterns of rapprochement with Nairobi, and will make it lose the traditional orientation by which it had previously an advanced position in its relations with Kenya," concludes the professor of international relations.