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Rabat – The long-running feud between Algeria and Morocco was back in the spotlight for much of last week. This time, the Algerian regime accused Morocco of unlawfully seizing a property belonging to the Algerian embassy in Rabat, sparking a war of words reminiscent of the hostility that has characterized their relationship for decades.
In a fiery statement echoing Algeria’s long-standing obsession with Morocco, the Algerian regime not only condemned what it deemed as a brazen breach of international norms by Morocco but also issued a stern warning of retaliation, vowing to respond “by any means necessary” to what it labeled as a provocative act of “spoliation.”
Rather than providing a balanced account of the situation, Algerian media in turn opted for sensationalism over substance, misleadingly portraying Morocco as a malevolent neighbor with a history of undermining Algeria. This narrative framed the incident as yet another instance of Moroccan aggression against its Algerian counterpart.
“This is obviously a case of recidivism and escalation,” wrote one Algerian outlet, claiming that provoking Algeria has long been an inherent aspect of Moroccan policy.
The timing of Algeria’s accusation couldn’t be more precarious, coming amid escalating tensions between the two nations and raising concerns among observers about what could irreparably damage already strained relations.
A number of observers wondered, among other things, whether Algeria’s most recent accusations were true and how Rabat would respond to yet another parade of anti-Moroccan bravado from Algerian political and media circles.
Morocco responds to outrage with facts and de-escalation
Morocco wasted no time in debunking the Algerian allegations, quickly producing evidence to refute what it called Algeria’s baseless claims. An authorized Moroccan diplomatic source dismissed Algiers’ accusation as “unfounded” and stressed Morocco’s commitment to international norms as well as to stability and cooperation in the region.
“It is unfounded, it contains many false accusations, and it reflects an unjustified escalation,” the source said of the combative statement in which Algeria had vowed to respond to Rabat’s allegedly provocative “spoliation project.”
The diplomatic source clarified that the Algerian what the fiery statement labeled as unlawful expropriation is actually an ongoing reconstruction project seeking to improve the area around the headquarters of the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rabat.
The implementation of this rehabilitation plan affected nearby buildings belonging to the embassies of other countries, such as those of Côte d’Ivoire and Switzerland, the source stressed.
In this sense, the fact that only Algeria has made a drama out of this episode by issuing a strongly worded statement and threatening to respond in kind to Morocco’s supposed attack on Algerian property should be enough to reveal the usual ulterior motives of the Algerian regime.
And now, more than a week after this episode made the rounds in the Algerian, Moroccan and international media, it is becoming increasingly clear that, contrary to Algerian claims, Morocco actually wants to keep things stable and friendly with Algeria.
“Morocco is not seeking escalation,” the authorized diplomatic source added, revealing that Rabat has even suspended legal action over the Algerian embassy’s property in the hope of starting talks and reaching a mutual understanding.
This Moroccan willingness to engage in dialogue and find common ground with Algiers stands in stark contrast to the confrontational and unilateral approach Algeria took when it decided to repurpose the premises of the Moroccan ambassador’s residence to Algiers in 2022.
A challenging regional context for Algeria
More significantly, this latest spat between the two countries comes at a time when the Algerian regime, which has a notorious history of lashing out at Morocco as a diversionary tactic, is showing signs of stepping up its efforts to undermine Rabat’s recent gains in a variety of diplomatic arenas.
Indeed, the dispute reflects broader shifts in the Sahel, where Algeria’s waning influence is being challenged by Morocco’s proactive diplomacy and strategic initiatives aimed at fostering regional cooperation and development.
A case in point is Mali’s recent rejection of a 2015 Algerian-brokered peace agreement. This move by the Malian government has further weakened Algeria’s standing, creating an opportunity for Morocco to emerge as a key player in promoting peace and prosperity in the Sahel region.
As part of its vision to offer a better alternative for regional stability and prosperity, Morocco has reached out to the Sahelian countries to offer economic aid and access to the Atlantic Ocean. While this will obviously improve Morocco’s regional standing, Rabat is selling this alternative to Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger by showing that it will improve security and foster economic prosperity in what is increasingly becoming one of Africa’s most fragile regions.
It is impossible to state with certainty how this Algerian-Moroccan standoff over the Sahel will end, given the sheer volatility and unpredictability of the Sahel chessboard. But what is clear at this point is that Morocco is gaining on Algeria in the region, as a recent report by Menas Associates, a risk analysis firm, has pointed out.
Faced with Morocco’s growing diplomatic outreach and evolving regional leadership, Algiers is resorting to a siege mentality as a coping mechanism. This involves accusing Morocco of posing an existential threat or conspiring with foreign powers to undermine Algerian interests or security.
The shadow of Western Sahara
While all of the aforementioned reasons have obviously played a role in exacerbating the long-standing rift between Algiers and Rabat, the root cause of the friction is the two countries’ diametrically opposed, even irreconcilable, positions on the Western Sahara dispute.
As many past episodes of tension have shown, the main driver of the decades-long tension between the two Maghreb neighbors is Algeria’s unwavering support for the Polisario Front, a separatist movement seeking independence for the Western Sahara region in southern Morocco.
Algeria has repeatedly tried to present the separatist group as the legitimate representative of the “oppressed” and “occupied” Sahrawi people. In fact, the Algerian regime has demonstrated that it has no qualms about rejecting UN Security Council resolutions on the Sahara as long as the prevailing diplomatic consensus remains that Morocco’s autonomy proposal is the best and most viable way to achieve a lasting and politically feasible solution to the decades-old dispute.
While independent analysts and partisan observers will inevitably have different, conflicting interpretations of how to read this latest indication of the magnitude of the Algerian-Moroccan rift, the obvious, inescapable truth seems to be that the Algerian regime is determined to support Polisario’s separatism, counter Morocco’s growing African leadership, and undo its newfound geopolitical standing.
