Saudi Arabia Signals Potential Mediation in Morocco-Algeria Diplomatic Crisis

The Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Faisal bin Farhan, posted two tweets on Friday, August 27, to announce that he had telephone conversations with his Algerian and Moroccan counterparts. However, he did not provide any details. Everything suggests that Saudi Arabia is trying to play a mediating role in the crisis between Morocco and Algeria. It is also one of the first countries to react to Algiers’ decision to sever its diplomatic relations with Rabat.

In a statement, Saudi Arabia said it was hopeful that relations between the two countries would be restored as soon as possible. In this sense, the kingdom has called "the brothers in the two countries to uphold dialogue and diplomacy in order to reach solutions to points of contention, which could contribute to the opening of a new page in the relations between the two brotherly countries". Relations that should "return with a benefit for the peoples of the two countries, realize security and stability throughout the region and strengthen Arab cooperation", adds the same source.

On the Algerian side, the diplomat and former minister Abdelaziz Rahabi seems to take a dim view of the Saudi mediation attempt. "It is still too early for mediation. [...] Arab or other mediation is not conceivable, each party must assume responsibility for its actions," he said in an interview with TSA.