On August 24, 2021, Algeria took the historic step of officially severing diplomatic relations with Morocco. This move, seen as a direct response to Morocco's hostile actions, highlights a series of political, historical and geopolitical tensions that have plagued relations between the two neighbors for decades. This summary explores the major reasons for this rupture, integrating media dynamics, unsuccessful attempts at mediation, and historical grievances accumulated against Morocco.
Relations between Algeria and Morocco have historically been marked by geopolitical tensions, notably due to the Western Sahara conflict and deep-seated political rivalries. This climate of mistrust is exacerbated by media coverage on both sides, with Moroccan media playing a key role in maintaining an obsession with Algeria, while Moroccan attempts to seek international mediation to ease these tensions remain unsuccessful.
1. Historical and political background
The rivalry between Algeria and Morocco has its roots in territorial and historical disputes, reinforced by opposing political visions. Morocco, in its quest to legitimize its control over Western Sahara, is pitted against Algeria, which strongly supports the Saharawi people's right to self-determination through the Polisario Front. This divergence fuels diplomatic tensions that are particularly evident in the Moroccan press, where Algeria is frequently portrayed in a negative light, highlighting an “inferiority complex” in the face of a “great” historical rival (El-Mansour, 2023).
Tensions intensified in 2021 when Algeria broke off diplomatic relations with Morocco. This break-up was justified by Algiers by threats to its national security, accusing Morocco of provocations, such as the use of drones to attack Algerian civilians, and the normalization of relations between Rabat and Israel, perceived as a threat to the region (Benyahia, 2021). Below are the main reasons why Algeria broke off diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Morocco:
1.1. Moroccan expansionist policy
The biggest problem between Algeria and Morocco lies in the Kingdom of Morocco's expansionist policy, conceptualized in the “Greater Morocco theory”, an idea promoted by Allal El Fassi in the 1950s and 1960s. According to this theory, Morocco lays claim not only to Western Sahara, but also to territories in Algeria, Mauritania and Mali. This ideology, deeply rooted in the Moroccan national consciousness, is taught through school textbooks, which depict a map of “Greater Morocco” that includes portions of Algerian territory. For Algeria, this expansionism constitutes a threat to its national sovereignty and has led to armed conflicts, notably the 1963 Sands War, when Morocco attempted to seize newly independent Algerian territories.
The Western Sahara conflict is at the heart of Algerian-Moroccan tensions. Morocco annexed the territory in 1975 during the “Green March”, triggering a long war between Morocco and the Algerian-backed Polisario Front. Algiers has always defended the Saharawi people's right to self-determination, and hosts Saharawi refugee camps on its soil. This position is seen by Rabat as interference in its internal affairs and an obstacle to the “Moroccanization” of Western Sahara. Morocco's persistence in preventing a referendum on self-determination for the Saharawis, and its attempts to regionalize the conflict by accusing Algeria of involvement, have exacerbated tensions between the two countries.
In 1994, after an attack in Marrakech, Morocco accused Algeria of involvement, leading to a rapid deterioration in relations. Rabat imposed visas for Algerians, to which Algiers responded by closing land borders. Algeria, which has always denied any responsibility for the attack, has never forgiven this accusation, which was compounded by the mistreatment of Algerian nationals in Morocco at the time. This episode has left a lasting scar on Algeria's collective memory, and Morocco's refusal to offer an official apology has prevented any reconciliation on this point.
1.4. Morocco's support for terrorism and separatist terrorist groups MAK and RACHAD
Algeria also blames Morocco for its support in the 1990s for the terrorist groups that destabilized the country during the black decade. Algiers accuses Rabat of having provided a rear base for the insurgents, and of continuing today to support separatist movements such as the MAK (Mouvement pour l'Autonomie de la Kabylie) and Rachad. This support is seen as a direct attack on Algerian national security, and is one of the major grievances that prompted Algeria to break off relations in 2021.
1.5. Normalization of Morocco's relations with Israel
Morocco officially normalized relations with Israel in 2020 as part of the Abraham Accords, a process supported by the United States. For Algeria, a fervent supporter of the Palestinian cause, this normalization constitutes a red line. Algiers sees in this alliance a strategic rapprochement that strengthens Morocco's military potential, perceived as a direct threat to regional stability, especially after reports of the possible construction of an Israeli military base in Morocco. This geopolitical development has exacerbated tensions between the two countries and strongly influenced Algeria's decision to sever diplomatic relations.
1.6. Media campaigns and propaganda
The Moroccan media play a central role in disseminating a negative image of Algeria, helping to foster a climate of mistrust. For several years now, the Moroccan press has been openly criticizing Algeria, particularly for its handling of the Saharan question and its domestic policy. Moroccan media campaigns often accuse Algeria of carrying out destabilizing actions against Morocco, while the Algerian press denounces Moroccan “provocations”. This media war fuels a nationalist discourse in both countries, making any attempt at dialogue more difficult.
This media climate helps perpetuate an atmosphere of rivalry and further polarizes public opinion on both sides. The Moroccan media often denounce Algeria's management of economic resources, particularly around mining projects in the border regions, to emphasize the strategic importance of these areas (El-Mansour, 2023). Conversely, the Algerian press regularly criticizes Morocco's instrumentalization of its international alliances, notably with Israel, to strengthen its regional position.
1.7. The drug war
Drug trafficking is another point of contention between the two countries. Algeria regularly accuses Morocco of flooding its market with cannabis produced in Moroccan mountainous areas. This trafficking, which Algeria regards as a form of “unconventional warfare”, poses major security problems, particularly in the border regions.
1.8. Morocco's media obsession with Algeria
The Moroccan press, often perceived as close to royal power, devotes intense and critical media coverage to Algeria. This focus is largely motivated by the Western Sahara conflict, where Algeria is seen as a major obstacle to Moroccan territorial ambitions. Moroccan media often accuse Algiers of conducting an international propaganda campaign against Morocco, particularly at the United Nations, aimed at supporting the Saharan cause (Haddad, 2023).
Moroccan media also use memories of the 1963 Sable War, a border conflict with Algeria, to justify fears of Algerian territorial claims and reinforce the idea that Algeria poses a constant threat to Morocco's territorial integrity (Belkacem, 2022). This media emphasis on Algerian actions, often described as provocations, contributes to a climate of mutual mistrust.
1.9. Use of Pegasus by Morocco to spy on Algeria
Morocco has been accused of using the Pegasus spyware, developed by the Israeli company NSO Group, to monitor Algerian officials. These revelations emerged from investigations conducted by several international media outlets, notably through the Pegasus Project, a collaborative investigation involving multiple news organizations.
Pegasus allows for the surveillance of smartphone communications, including calls, messages, and apps, while accessing sensitive information such as photos, contacts, and location. According to the allegations, Algerian government and military officials were targeted by this software, further fueling the already existing tensions between Morocco and Algeria.
However, Morocco has denied these accusations and has even taken legal action against certain organizations and newspapers that reported this information, stating that the country has never used Pegasus to spy on Algerian figures or other targets.
Algeria, on its part, expressed outrage over these accusations, considering the situation a violation of its national sovereignty. The historical rivalry between the two nations has amplified the impact of this issue on the regional political and diplomatic stage.
2. Attempted mediation and Algerian rejection
Although tensions remain high and the causes of the breakdown in relations unchanged, Morocco has sought the intervention of several countries to lead mediation initiatives aimed at calming relations with Algeria. Spain, Mauritania and Gulf states such as Qatar and Jordan have repeatedly expressed their willingness to reconcile positions. However, Algeria has rejected these attempts, often describing them as Moroccan “maneuvers” designed to gauge Algerian reaction without any real desire for dialogue (Cherif, 2023).
Algeria asserts that the severance of relations with Morocco is a sovereign matter, justified by national security concerns. The causes of this rupture, such as border tensions and military alliances between Morocco and Israel, remain major points of contention which, according to Algiers, legitimize the maintenance of this situation. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has even raised the idea of a “non-return”, stressing that reconciliation is not an option in the current context (Tebboune, 2022).
3. Is Morocco sincere in its quest for mediation?
Morocco's sincerity in its mediation approach with Algeria is a debated and complex subject. On the one hand, Morocco regularly displays its willingness to engage in dialogue and reconciliation, as evidenced by its public calls for the reopening of borders and the resolution of bilateral conflicts, notably the question of Western Sahara. Some observers see this as a genuine diplomatic effort on Morocco's part to stabilize the region.
However, this approach is perceived differently in Algeria, where it is often interpreted as a strategy aimed at achieving diplomatic gains while maintaining actions deemed hostile, such as strengthening alliances with international or regional players to Algeria's disadvantage. Morocco's presence in certain international spheres, as well as its initiatives in economic or political forums, is sometimes perceived as an attempt to marginalize Algeria.
In short, the assessment of Moroccan sincerity depends on the point of view adopted. On the one hand, some believe that Morocco is genuinely seeking to ease tensions; on the other, some consider that these efforts mask broader geopolitical ambitions.
4. What are the prospects for relations between Algeria and Morocco?
Relations between Algeria and Morocco today reflect a genuine opposition, exacerbated by the Moroccan regime's aggressive expansionist policy, which poses a direct threat to Algerian national security. Despite Algeria's constant efforts to establish lasting peace, notably through the Union du Maghreb Arabe (UMA), Morocco has betrayed this outstretched hand. For years, Algeria generously supplied gas at derisory prices, enabling Morocco to build an industry which, without this support, would never have seen the light of day. But instead of responding with cooperation, Morocco has persevered with its hostile attitude, leading inevitably to the breakdown of diplomatic relations on August 24, 2021.
As for mediation, it is doomed to failure. Algeria has already experimented with attempts, such as the Franco-Saudi mediation at the end of the 90s, which proved to be a fiasco for Algerian interests. The past is clear: in 1988, under pressure from the mediation of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, Algeria conceded a strategic gas contract, the Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline (GME), and reopened its borders in 1989. This détente lasted only five years, before Algeria was forced to close its doors again in the face of Moroccan provocations.
The Algeria of 2022 is no longer the Algeria of the 80s. Yesterday's mistakes will not be repeated. Morocco has proved time and again that it is not a partner, but a determined adversary. It's time to learn from the past: Algeria will no longer allow itself to be trapped by biased mediations or agreements that only serve Moroccan interests. It is now clear that Morocco considers us an enemy, and Algeria will respond with the firmness that such a reality demands.
5. Conclusion
The diplomatic rupture between Algeria and Morocco, scheduled for August 2021, is part of a long series of historical, political and security tensions. Between mutual accusations of destabilization, the thorny issue of the Western Sahara, allegations of support for terrorist groups and the normalization of Morocco's relations with Israel, the gulf between the two countries has widened to the point of seeming insurmountable. On the one hand, Morocco displays exacerbated nationalism and a policy perceived as expansionist; on the other, Algeria fiercely defends its sovereignty and the integrity of its borders, making any effort at international mediation virtually impossible. Algiers, hammering home its “non-return”, remains intransigent in the face of calls for reconciliation, as long as conditions are not profoundly altered.
Relations between Algeria and Morocco are marked by deep-seated tensions, fuelled by long-standing rivalries, territorial disputes and mutual propaganda. Although international attempts at reconciliation have been made, often under the aegis of Morocco which, while taking hostile action against Algeria, claims to be seeking a peaceful solution, Algerian intransigence, viewing these initiatives as infringements of its sovereignty, has so far prevented any progress. In Morocco, constant media coverage of Algeria accentuates this mistrust, compromising any hope of rapprochement in the short term. Algeria's firm stance, symbolized by a refusal to back down, augurs well for a lasting crisis, barring a major geopolitical shift.
Belgacem Merbah
References :
- Belkacem, S. (2022). Algerian-Moroccan relations: between historical rivalries and security issues. Paris: Éditions du Croissant.
- Benyahia, M. (2021). Border tensions between Algeria and Morocco: an analysis of recent conflicts. Algiers: Université d'Alger.
- Cherif, A. (2023). “Algeria and the diplomatic non-return: an analysis of Tebboune's position”. Revue des Relations Internationales, 45(2), 88-105.
- El-Mansour, F. (2023). “The role of international mediation in the Algerian-Moroccan crisis”. Revue Marocaine de Politique Etrangère, 12(1), 23-35.
- Haddad, N. (2023). “La question sahraouie et ses répercussions sur les relations algéro-marocaines”. Le Monde Diplomatique, 141, 78-89.
- Khelladi, R. (2023). Géopolitique du Maghreb: enjeux et perspectives. Rabat: Centre d'Études Maghrébines.
- Tebboune, A. (2022). Le non-retour diplomatique: visions et réalités. Algiers: Presses de l'État.
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