Humiliating Submission: Algerian regime begging Spanish FM to visit Algiers to mend ties
After a diplomatic spat between Algeria and Spain over the Sahara, which lasted nearly 15 months, the Algerian ruling junta realized that their blackmail strategy and gas weaponization have failed and changed course.
After swallowing their bitter defeat, they sent back their ambassador to Madrid in a humiliating diplomatic and economic debacle without succeeding to persuade Spain to reverse its support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for the Sahara under its sovereignty.
The Algerian rulers had recalled their envoy in Spain over the Sahara issue after Madrid openly voiced support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for the Sahara under the Kingdom’s sovereignty.
They tried to blackmail Madrid into dropping its support for Morocco by cutting off their supplies of natural gas. But the strategy turned into an epic defeat, deepening Algiers international isolation.
In a bid to mend ties with Spain which has strengthened further strategic partnership with Morocco, the Algerian military regime has invited Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albarez to their country next Monday though Mr. Albarez was targeted by smear campaign by Algerian authorities for standing with Morocco’s territorial integrity and Sovereignty over the Sahara.
In a press release, Spanish foreign ministry said Mr. Albares will visit Algeria February 12 at the invitation of Algerian peer Ahmed Attaf. The trip comes few days after Spanish authorities recognized the Moroccanness of the city of Laayoune in their official gazette. The move deals another hard blow to the Algerian regime which is now seeking to rebuild its ties with Madrid after becoming “persona non grata” in Sahel and losing regional & international credibility
Spanish support for Morocco over the Sahara issue has led stronger economic, cultural and security cooperation ties between the two neighboring countries.
Spain is now Morocco’s largest trading partner and the two countries have strengthened their cooperation against extremist and trafficking networks.
In the Sahel, landlocked countries have applauded Morocco’s initiative offering them access to the Atlantic, a project that will transform not only the economies of these countries and the entire region.
While Algeria is supporting separatism and exporting instability, Morocco is seen a reliable partner by all African countries. The North African Kingdom is spearheading an initiative gathering all African countries bordering the Atlantic Ocean and a gas-pipeline with Nigeria. The goal of all these projects, based on South-South cooperation and solidarity, is to build an African zone of peace, stability, and shared prosperity.
