Algeria–Morocco relations

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Algeria-Morocco relations
Map indicating locations of Algeria and Morocco

Algeria
Morocco

Morocco is represented in Algeria by an embassy and consulate general in Algiers, as well as two consulates in Oran and Sidi Bel Abbès;[1] Algeria is represented in Morocco by a consulate general in Rabat, and two consulates in Casablanca and Oujda.[2] Relations between the two North African states have been marred by several crises since their independence, particularly the 1963 Sand War, the Western Sahara War of 1975–1991, the closing of the Algeria-Morocco border in 1994 and an ongoing disagreement over the political status of Western Sahara. On August 24, 2021 Algeria severed ties with Morocco.[3][4]

Country comparison[]

Comparison of Algeria and Morocco
Metric  Algeria  Morocco
Area 2,381,741 square kilometres (919,595 sq mi)[5][circular reference] 446,550 square kilometres (172,410 sq mi) (710,850 square kilometres (274,460 sq mi) with Western Sahara)[6][circular reference]
Population 42,578,000 (2018 estimate)[7] 36,472,000 (2019 estimate)[8]
Population Density 17.7/km2 (45.8/sq mi)[5][circular reference] 50.0/km2 (129.5/sq mi)[6][circular reference]
Capital Algiers Rabat
Largest City Algiers (363 km2 (140 sq mi))[9][circular reference] Casablanca (220 km2 (80 sq mi))[10][circular reference]
Government Semi-presidential system Constitutional monarchy
Official Languages Arabic, Berber[5][circular reference] Arabic, Berber
GDP (Nominal) US$180.687 billion (2019 estimate)[11] US$122.458 billion[12]
GDP (PPP) US$684.649 billion (2019 estimate)[11] US$332.358 billion[12]
GDP (Nominal) per capita US$4,229 (2019 estimate)[11] US$3,441[13]
GDP (PPP) per capita US$15,765 (2019 estimate)[11] US$9,339 (2019 estimate)[12]
Human Development Index (HDI) 0.759 (82nd)[14] 0.676 (121st)[15]

Historical relations[]

After Morocco had gained independence from France in 1956, King Mohammed V provided arms, money, and medicines to Algerian FLN forces waging a war of independence against French rule; Morocco also served as a rear base for Algerian insurgents to set up training camps for newer recruits. During this period, King Mohammed also refused to negotiate with France over the precise outline of Morocco's border with Algeria, which, since 1830, hadn't been clearly demarcated.[16]

Western Sahara[]

The territory of the former colony of Western Sahara territory has caused a deep-seated antagonism and general mistrust between the two nations that has permeated all aspects of Moroccan-Algerian relations. After Spain announced its intention to abandon the territory in 1975, relations between Morocco and Algeria, who had previously presented a united front, disintegrated.[citation needed] Algeria, although not asserting any territorial claims of its own, was averse to the absorption of the territory by any of its neighbors and supported the Polisario Front's wish to found an independent nation in the territory. Before the Spanish evacuation, the Spanish government had agreed to divide the territory, transferring the majority of the land to Morocco and the remainder to Mauritania. This agreement violated a United Nations (UN) resolution that declared all historical claims by Mauritania or Morocco to be insufficient to justify territorial absorption and drew heavy criticism from Algeria.[17]

Guerrilla movements inside the Saharan territory, particularly the Polisario Front (Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguia el Hamra y Río de Oro), having fought for Saharan independence since 1973, immediately proclaimed the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). Algeria recognized this new self-proclaimed state in 1976, and has since pursued a determined diplomatic effort for international recognition of the territory; it has also supplied food, materials, and training to the guerrillas[citation needed]. In 1979, after many years of extensive and fierce guerrilla warfare, Mauritania abandoned its territorial claims and withdrew. Morocco quickly claimed the territory relinquished by Mauritania. Once the SADR gained diplomatic recognition from the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and many other independent states, Morocco came under international pressure. As a result, the Moroccan government finally proposed a national referendum to determine the Saharan territory's sovereignty in 1981. The referendum was to be overseen by the OAU, but the proposal was quickly retracted by the King of Morocco when the OAU could not reach agreement over referendum procedures. In 1987 the Moroccan government again agreed to recognize the Polisario and to meet to "discuss their grievances." Algeria stipulated a solitary precondition for restoration of diplomatic relations—recognition of the Polisario and talks toward a definitive solution to the Western Saharan quagmire. Without a firm commitment from the King of Morocco, Algeria conceded and resumed diplomatic relations with Morocco in 1988.[17]

The borders[]

During the Algerian civil war, Algiers accused Rabat of hosting and supporting the Armed Islamic Group of Algeria, an Algerian Islamist terrorist group. The charge was rapidly denied by Moroccan authorities, but the quarrel led to the border closure in 1994, after Morocco accused the Algerian GIA along with the Algerian Services of the Marrakech attack of 1994, where two Spaniards were killed.[18] The borders are still closed, costing both countries an estimated 2% of their annual growth rate.[19] In 1999, the newly elected Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika attended Hassan II of Morocco's funeral, and declared three days of official mourning in Algeria.[20] That same year, Bouteflika accused Morocco of hosting GIA bases, from which some attacks on Algerians were planned and directed. A few days later, he again accused Morocco of exporting drugs into Algeria.[21] In July 2004, King Mohammed VI abolished visa requirements for Algerians entering Morocco; in April 2006, President Bouteflika reciprocated the gesture.[22] In 2012 Algerian prime minister Ahmed Ouyahia said border reopening was not a priority for his government. Other official declarations imply that this issue is not to be solved soon.

Recently, an increased number of voices from civil society and intellectuals have asked their respective countries to take steps to reconciliation.[23]

Break of diplomatic relations 2021[]

Algeria was opposing the normalization agreement between Morocco and Israel in December 2020.[24] In July 2021, Amnesty International and Forbidden Stories reported, that Morocco had targeted more than 6,000 Algerian phones, including those of politicians and high-ranking military officials, with the Pegasus spyware.[25][26] In August 2021, Algeria blamed Morocco and Israel of supporting the Movement for the self-determination of Kabylia, which the Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune accused of being involved in the wildfires in northern Algeria. Tebboune accused Morocco for perpetrating hostile acts.[27] In the same month, King Mohammed VI of Morocco reached out for reconciliation with Algeria and offered assistance in Algeria's battle against the fires.[28] Algeria did not respond to the offer.[29]

On 18 August 2021, Tebboune chaired an extraordinary meeting of the High Security Council[30] to review Algeria's relations to Morocco. The president ordered an intensification of security controls at the borders.[31][32][33] On 24 August 2021, Algerian foreign minister Ramtane Lamamra announced the break of diplomatic relations with Morocco.[34][35] On 27 August 2021, Morocco closed the country's embassy in Algiers, Algeria.[36]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Directory - Diplomatic Missions and Consulates - Moroccan Representations Abroad". Kingdom of Morocco Ministry of Foreign Affairs African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates. Kingdom of Morocco Ministry of Foreign Affairs African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  2. ^ "Directory - Diplomatic Missions and Consulates - Foreign Representations". Kingdom of Morocco Ministry of Foreign Affairs African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates. Kingdom of Morocco Ministry of Foreign Affairs African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  3. ^ "Algeria cuts diplomatic relations with Morocco". Reuters. 2021-08-25. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
  4. ^ "Algeria cuts diplomatic ties with Morocco over 'hostile actions'". Al-Jazeera. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Algeria". Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b "Morocco". Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  7. ^ "DEMOGRAPHIE ALGERIENNE 2008" (PDF). ONS : Office National des Statistiques.
  8. ^ "Morocco - Total Population". Knoema. Knoema. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  9. ^ "Algiers". Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  10. ^ "Casablanca". Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "World Economic Outlook Database". International Monetary Fund (IMF). International Monetary Fund (IMF). Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b c "World Economic Outlook Database". International Monetary Fund (IMF). International Monetary Fund (IMF). Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  13. ^ "World Economic Outlook Database". International Monetary Fund (IMF). International Monetary Fund (IMF). Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  14. ^ ""Human Development Report 2019" (PDF)". United Nations Development Programme. United Nations Development Programme. 10 December 2019. Archived from the original on 30 April 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  15. ^ ""Human Development Report 2019" (PDF)". United Nations Development Programme. United Nations Development Programme. 10 December 2019. Archived from the original on 30 April 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  16. ^ Yegavian, Tigraine. "Alger Rabat. L'impossible entente". Conflits (January–March 2019): 66–67.
  17. ^ Jump up to: a b Entelis, John P. with Lisa Arone. "The Maghrib". Algeria: a country study Archived January 15, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Library of Congress Federal Research Division (December 1993). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  18. ^ Xinhua (2012-03-27). "Reopening border between Morocco, Algeria requires deeper examination: minister". Retrieved August 20, 2012.
  19. ^ EastWest Institute (2020-04-08). "Algeria-Morocco Business Dialogue: The Agricultural and Food Manufacturing Sector".
  20. ^ "Region mourns death of King Hassan". BBC News. 24 July 1999. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  21. ^ Carol Migdalovitz. "Morocco: Royal Succession and Other Developments" (PDF). wikileaks.org. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
  22. ^ Alexis Arieff Analyst in African Affairs (December 20, 2011). "Morocco: Current Issues#Foreign Policy" (PDF). Retrieved August 20, 2012.
  23. ^ Oumazzane, Tarik. "Algeria-Morocco: have we missed the bridge?". Morocco World News. Morocco World News. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  24. ^ Zoubir, Yahia H. "Why Algeria cut diplomatic ties with Morocco: and implications for the future". The Conversation. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
  25. ^ Cheref, Abdelkader (2021-07-29). "Is Morocco's cyber espionage the last straw for Algeria?". Retrieved 2021-09-18.
  26. ^ "Pegasus: From its own king to Algeria, the infinite reach of Morocco's intelligence services". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
  27. ^ "Algeria blames groups it links to Morocco, Israel for wildfires". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
  28. ^ "Moroccan king reaches out again for reconciliation with Algeria | Mohamed Alaoui". AW. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
  29. ^ Kasraoui, Safaa. "Algerian President: No Answer to King Mohammed VI's Dialogue Initiative". Retrieved 2021-09-18.
  30. ^ "President Tebboune chairs extraordinary meeting of High Security Council". Algeria Press Service. 18 August 2021. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
  31. ^ AfricaNews (2021-08-18). "Algeria accuses Morocco of involvement in its deadly fires, to "review" relations". Africanews. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
  32. ^ "Algeria opts for escalation with Morocco amid simmering tensions |". AW. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
  33. ^ Admin. "Algeria Accuses Morocco Of Involvement In Fires And Will Review Relations » World » Prime Time Zone". Retrieved 2021-09-18.
  34. ^ "Algeria breaks off diplomatic ties with neighbouring Morocco". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
  35. ^ "Algiers' diplomatic break with Rabat threatens the new balance between Spain and Morocco". The Canadian. 2021-08-25. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
  36. ^ "Morocco shuts embassy in Algiers - English Service". ANSA.it. 2021-08-27. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
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