Algeria renews its support for Polisario and distances itself further from Morocco
Algeria does not intend to give in on the Western Sahara dossier. Despite expressing its willingness to move closer to Morocco, with whom it broke off diplomatic relations more than two years ago, it has no intention of abandoning its support for the Polisario Front. In this way, Algiers continues to challenge Morocco's territorial integrity and deepens the rift between the two administrations.
Abdelmajdid Tebboune again expressed his support for the Polisario during his last speech to the Algerian parliament. He also did so with the Palestinian cause, with which he has always tried to link the Saharawi case, despite the manifest differences between the two. Tebboune claimed that the "decolonisation" of the Sahara is "registered with the UN Decolonisation Committee, and it is on this basis that Algeria supports the struggle of the Sahrawi people".
Algerian contradictions
While the attacks on its Moroccan neighbour do not come as a surprise given the differences between the two, they do contradict the words of the Algerian Foreign Minister, Ahmed Attaf. A few days ago, Attaf claimed that his country could be "considered more inclined to seek a rapid solution" to the crisis with Morocco.
Just a few days later, Tebboune has once again distanced himself from Rabat with statements that he knows represent a red line for the Alawi kingdom. Especially when one considers that Algeria has used much of its income and diplomatic weight in Africa to lobby and support the Polisario Front in its efforts to destabilise Western Sahara.
The Algerian foreign minister assured that his country is "aware, like other states, of the construction of the Arab Maghreb and fraternity". However, his words are at odds with the president's gestures, and even less so with his government's actions in recent years. Increasingly, they have moved away from this "fraternal" desire to unite the countries of the Maghreb region.
Morocco continues to hold out its hand to Algeria
Despite constant challenges from Algiers, Rabat has repeatedly shown its willingness to reach out to its regional rival. Morocco's King Mohammed VI expressed this desire in his Throne Day speech in July, when he said that his country intends to improve "stable" bilateral ties with Algeria.
Morocco knows that, despite having long established itself as a regional leader, a partnership with Algeria would eventually stabilise North Africa. In this way, it would open a window of opportunity to further grow and increase its power of influence at all levels. However, as long as the Algerian president maintains such a belligerent stance, it will be difficult to follow this path.
Even so, Rabat does not rule out a rapprochement and continues to extend its hand to reconciliation. Mohammed VI himself has already addressed the Algerian government and its leaders directly, stating that "no harm will ever be done to them, nor will any harm come to them from Morocco". Now, it must be Algeria that steps forward, or at least does not continue to do so in the opposite direction.