Yasmine Hasnaoui: How Algeria swindles its citizens over the Sahara
In the last five years, countries who hold a historical responsibility toward the Western Sahara marked a new departure, by recognizing Morocco`s sovereignty over this region. Algeria which supports the Polisario politically, diplomatically and financially, has contested the move of these countries, specifically the decisions of Spain and France. On July 30th, 2024, in a letter addressed to the King of Morocco, Emmanuel Macron deems that the autonomy plan presented by Morocco is the only solution to resolve this conflict. It is indeed a reverse course in international balance after years of ambiguity and cautious neutrality from France`s side. Algeria immediately retaliated this move by withdrawing its ambassador to France and now the Algerian embassy is managed by the Deputy Chief of Mission. Algeria did not break off the relations with France, but this move has dire consequences on the relations between the two countries whereby president Abdelmajid Tebboune is putting behind and shunning the wellbeing of his citizens over a regional conflict that is solely managed under the auspices of UN Security Council.
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This crisis is also having an impact on the economy of Algeria and France. The latter is an important economic exporter to Algeria with a total of more than 4.69 billion US Dollars. In addition to this, the Algerian community is the largest diaspora in France, estimated at more than 3 million people with 18 Algerian consulates. In large, the people of Algeria account for a large sector of the total population in France. There are also strategic relations where Algeria depends on France on issues related to visas, migration, human mobility, as well as geopolitics where both countries cooperate on peace and security in the Sahel and the fight against illegal immigration. For these issues, both countries are closely interdependent. Thousands of cooperation agreements were sealed between the two countries in many fields. Indeed, there are many interests, but with the tensions escalating, everything seems to fall apart .
The previous mandate of Abdelmajid Tebboune witnessed five crises with France. In May 2020, Algeria recalled its ambassador following a documentary broadcasted in the French television about the Hirak movement which emerged out of popular protest that broke out in Algeria in 2019.In October 2021, Algeria accused France of its interference in Algerian internal affairs and recalled its ambassador from Paris and banned French military planes from its airspaces. In June 2022, Algeria recalled its ambassador from Madrid following Spain`s endorsement of the Moroccan Autonomy plan as a credible solution to the Western Sahara conflict as a consequence it suspended a two-decade-old friendship treaty with Spain and closed the Maghreb-Europe Pipeline and now Abdelmajid Tebboune threatens Spanish companies to cut its gas supply if it detects that the Algerian gas is being resold to Morocco.
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In February 2023, Algeria again did the same action by recalling its ambassador accusing France of arranging the escape of an Algerian activist, triggering a new crisis between the countries. The international community witnessed a fifth crisis following the recognition of France of Morocco`s historical rights over the Western Sahara and the endorsement of the autonomy plan. Abdelmajid Tebboune blamed Spain for its position towards Morocco, because Algeria deems Spain to have a historical responsibility toward the conflict, and now it is following suit with France by condemning France`s move through a threatening press release .
At the start of his tenure Emmanuel Macron aligned his country with Algeria thinking that the latter would help and protect France`s interest in the Sahel where it was fully engaged in terms of security and development, but France was pushed to leave due to its failed security approach.
Emmanuel Macron decisions didn`t come out of a vacuum, he received so many signals and pressures from French politicians, investors, businessmen and think tanks that it is not for the interest of France to keep strained relations with Morocco. The latter remains the leading destination for French investments on the African continent. Historically, France has always endorsed Morocco`s sovereignty over the Western Sahara, though not officially, but as a permanent member of the Security Council, France has always endorsed the plan of autonomy and vetoes resolutions that obstruct the political solution of the dispute. At the start of his tenure Emmanuel Macron aligned his country with Algeria thinking that the latter would help and protect France`s interest in the Sahel where it was fully engaged in terms of security and development, but France was pushed to leave due to its failed security approach.
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The decision by France to recognize the sovereignty of Morocco over the Western Sahara was taken with conviction. France has made the strategic choice that leaving the zone of neutrality regarding the Western Sahara has more benefits not only to France but to Africa and Europe. Morocco advances and progresses at an unprecedented speed and made the strategic and smart move to diversify its partners in all the corners of the world. The country made a significant progress at the economic and security levels, positioning itself as a leader in these areas. Hence, Emanuel Macron was brought to his sense in the name of pragmatism and objectivity. France had to bridge this divide and possibly rebalance and preserve the balance of power in order to regain all the economic privileges and partnerships it had accumulated for many years in Morocco. Algeria`s reaction to France`s move was unnecessary, miscalculated and disproportionate. A country would withdraw its ambassador from its post, if the host country violates the national sovereignty or has hostile acts against the strategic of the country in question, but this is not the case between Algeria and France. The latter spoke about the endorsement of the historical rights of another country, Morocco over the Western Sahara.
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One must wonder in what way this threatens the sovereignty and security of Algeria. This solely shows how Algeria interferes in the Western Sahara conflict and perpetuating this dispute is a means for Abdelmajid Tebboune to irritate its rival, Morocco as well as it current and future partners. The reality is that there is no single world power that endorses the independence of this territory. Similar position occurs at the United Nations and the African Union, yet Algeria made of the Western Sahara its national cause at the auspices of its parliament, at the Council of Nation and within its political parties where this conflict is brought up more than the needs of the Algerian citizens. As a whole the Algerian regime is undermining and putting in peril the well-being and the security of 47 million Algerians inside and outside Algeria, as well as the economy , the image of the country for the sake of a separatist movement that is doomed to failure. The re-elections of Abdelmajid Tebboune for another five-year term will bring no fruit on relations between Morocco and Algeria. This president who does not hesitate to trigger a diplomatic crisis with any country that recognizes the Moroccan nature of the Sahara or the autonomy plan. If the same military leaders remain in power, no president will be able to change the status quo. A real change in foreign policy would require a complete overhaul of the Algerian government that would free the country from the grip of old ideologies.
Dr. Hasnaoui is a Professor of Political Science & International Relations at the American International University in Kuwait. She is a specialist in Western Sahara conflict & North Africa affairs. Previously, she was a lecturer at Amherst College, Smith College, and Austin College in the United States. She is a also member of the International Political Science Association.
