Moroccan King offers to reopen dialogue with Algerian president

On October 31st, following the UN Security Council’s decision to recognise Morocco’s controversial sovereignty over the Western Sahara territory, the Moroccan King’s celebratory speech included a renewed offer for Algerian president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, to reopen dialogue, according to Moroccan media.

The Moroccan head of state celebrated the UN vote in his speech, and qualified it as a turning point in Morocco’s modern history. He also called the UN’s recognition of their controversial sovereignty a development that should be seen as an opportunity for peace and unity in the region.

Additionally, the monarch expressed his willingness to revive of the Maghreb Union, stating his wish to continue working towards this goal by building mutual respect, integration and cooperation amongst the five countries of the Maghreb.

The US has recently expressed its will to resolve the conflict soon by dedicating a team to ease tensions between the countries and to work on a peace deal. Trump’s envoys hoped that they will achieve a compromise between the North African countries by the end of the year.

Bilateral relations between Algeria and Morocco suffered gravely from their conflicting views on the best path forward for the Western Sahara’s future, with Morocco pushing for the adoption of the 2007 autonomy plan, as they claim sovereignty over the disputed territory.

However, Algeria supports the Polisario Front and the Sahrawi’s people right to an independent state, and doesn’t recognise Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara.

While Morocco’s head of state has previously tried rebuilding ties with Algeria’s president, Tebboune stayed firm in his position not to support his neighbouring country’s colonial project. The Polisario Front recently rejected Morocco’s autonomy plan before the UN’s vote, condemning once again Morocco’s “illegal military occupation of the Western Sahara”.

As reported by Accord, Algeria used to be aligned with Gaddafi’s Libya and Egypt in its defence for the self-determination of the Sahrawi people. However, the Algerian leadership became the lone North African supporter of the Western Sahara and the Polisario Front after the Arab Spring led to the fall of both Egyptian and Libyan regimes.

The aftermath of the Arab Spring heavily favoured Morocco’s claim with North African leaders, as they either supported Morocco’s claim to the territory or abstained to take a side. Morocco has also been gaining international recognition for its Western Sahara autonomy plan, but Algiers recently continued to reaffirm their support for the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination.

Both Algeria and Morocco have heavily increased their military budget for 2026, which was seen as a pre-emptive measure to arm themselves in case a war could break out in the region, especially since tensions have increased over the Western Sahara and between Mali and Algeria.

The Moroccan government has constantly repressed voices supporting the Sahrawis’ independence, and has also been trying to push for the UN recognition of the Polisario Front as a terrorist group, arguing that it qualifies under the UN’s definition.

The UN Security Council’s decision emboldened Morocco’s controversial claim over the Western Sahara, and the Moroccan monarch seems determined to push for more unity in the North African region that’s supported by the US. Abdelmadjid Tebboune seems lonely in his unwavering support for the Sahrawi people, and it’s unsure whether the countries will be able to mend their relations after a three-decade-long conflict.

Moroccan media,  Accord, Maghrebi.org