Break of relations: New Ice Age between Morocco and Algeria

Algeria has broken off diplomatic relations with neighboring Morocco. The charge against the kingdom: espionage and terrorist financing. There have been conflicts between the countries for a long time.

A new ice age has dawned between the North African neighbors Algeria and Morocco. Morocco’s King Mohammed VI. promoted better relationships in a speech from the throne weeks ago.

“We renew our sincere invitation to our brothers in Algeria to work together together and unconditionally for building bilateral relations based on trust, dialogue and good neighborliness,” he said.

In fact, we are hardly satisfied with the current state of these relations because it does not serve the respective interests of our two peoples. In this regard, I assure our brothers in Algeria that they will never have to fear the malice on the part of Morocco, which in no way poses a danger or threat to them.

Nothing will come of that for now. On August 24, Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra announced: “It has been historically and objectively proven that the Kingdom of Morocco has never ceased to carry out hostile actions against our country since Algeria became independent. For this reason, Algeria has decided to terminate diplomatic relations with the Kingdom To cancel Morocco with immediate effect. “

Serious allegations against Morocco

The list of charges against Morocco is long: Algeria accuses the kingdom of espionage and the financing of terrorist organizations in Algeria – but also of being involved in the deadly forest fires in the north of the country. At least 90 people, including numerous security guards, died in the devastating fires in the densely forested and populated Kabylia. Algeria and Morocco accuse each other of supporting separatists in each other’s country.

The feud between the two states in the Maghreb is historic. The common borders have been tight since 1994. The conflict over the controversial Western Sahara and the competition for the balance of power in the region stand in the way of peaceful relations, says Abdelfattah Belamchi, politics professor at Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech. Algeria supports the Polisario, who are fighting for their own state. Morocco, on the other hand, largely controls Western Sahara and regards it as a historical national territory.

Many areas of conflict

“This recent escalation of Algeria in the direction of Morocco shows us the real reason and the main problematic of bilateral relations between Morocco and Algeria: the Sahara,” believes Belamchi. “But there is also regional competition between the two states, for example who has what to say in the African Union.”

The region on the Atlantic is considered rich in phosphates, has great abundance of fish, tourism potential, and possibly oil deposits. Morocco is also driving its ambitious energy projects here, in which German companies are also involved. The Western Sahara conflict has been causing political tensions in the region for decades – most recently with Spain and Germany.

Morocco is stabilizing

Although the situation has become messy, Morocco has been able to strengthen its political position in recent decades – with the recognition of Western Sahara as a Moroccan national territory by the USA, the kingdom is appearing more self-confident in foreign policy, while Algeria, the largest country in Africa, has been facing a mass protest movement for years.

A danger to the whole region

Time and again there is friction between Morocco and Algeria. In July, Algeria called its ambassador from the Moroccan capital Rabat back for consultations after a Moroccan envoy to the United Nations had spoken out in favor of Kabylia. Algiers then announced that it would “review” relations between the two countries.

The conflict between the two Maghreb states is paralyzing the region, says the Moroccan political scientist Rachid Aouerraz from the Moroccan Institute for Policy Analysis: “That destabilizes the region, because Morocco and Algeria are so far the two most stable countries in North Africa. If the region is destabilized by the conflict it will have a major impact on the economies of both countries. That is the danger. “

Cooperation actually makes sense

Both countries have similar problems: high youth unemployment, economic crisis, and migration and terror issues.

The response from the population of the two states is mixed. Young people in particular, like the unemployed Moroccan Salah, are unimpressed. “The two peoples of Morocco and Algeria will always remain brothers, the tensions are between the governments and do not affect our relations,” he told a French news agency. “They have existed for a very long time, be it in relation to the borders or otherwise.”

Morocco’s foreign ministry has meanwhile regretted the breakup and rejected the allegations. The move was expected – Morocco closed its embassy in Algiers on Friday. Arab states are currently trying to mediate, but also the ex-colonial power France, which has always had close ties to Rabat and Algiers. France called on both governments to enter into dialogue.

But first there is radio silence.