Spain Algeria diplomatic crisis Morocco Sahara 2024

Pedro Sánchez and Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced a high-level meeting between their governments to be held in October in Spain. The previous one dated back to 2018. Madrid and Algiers want to revive their political, economic and security cooperation.

On Bladi.net : Sahara: Spain suffers the crisis between Morocco and Algeria

The crisis erupted in 2022, when Spain qualified the Moroccan autonomy plan for the Sahara as the "most serious, realistic and credible" basis for resolving the conflict. Algeria then suspended its friendship treaty with Spain and severely restricted trade exchanges.

The Sahara still dividing the two countries

During the Algiers meeting, Tebboune indicated he had discussed the Sahara with his Spanish counterpart. Pedro Sánchez, for his part, did not publicly address the issue and no change in Madrid’s position in favor of the Moroccan plan was announced.

Spain normalizes its relations with Algeria without backing down from the strategic rapprochement undertaken with Morocco. A situation that allows Madrid to reconnect with Algiers while preserving its relationship with Rabat, which has become central to migration, economic and security issues.

According to El País, Algeria and Spain also concluded a political agreement to increase gas deliveries, the terms of which will still need to be negotiated by the companies involved.

On Bladi.net : Algeria Signals Diplomatic Thaw with Spain Amid Sahara Dispute

The two countries also want to strengthen their cooperation in combating irregular immigration and terrorism, as well as in infrastructure, industry, food and technology. Algiers remains Spain’s leading natural gas supplier in 2026.