Qatar Offers Mediation to End Algeria-Morocco Diplomatic Tensions
Qatar has expressed its willingness to mediate and resolve the diplomatic tensions between Algeria and Morocco. The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Majid Al-Ansari, stated that bridging the gap between the two neighboring countries is a priority for Qatar. He further mentioned that Qatar is ready to engage in an official process aimed at bringing Algeria and Morocco closer together.
The Qatari diplomat confirmed that Doha has already initiated official communication with Algiers regarding mediation. However, no information has been disclosed about Algeria’s response to Qatar’s suggestion.
The root cause of the ongoing tension between Algeria and Morocco is the Western Sahara dispute. Since 1975, when Spanish colonial rule ended, Morocco has maintained control over the territory. However, this has been met with limited international recognition. Algeria, on the other hand, has provided military support to the Polisario Front and allowed its leaders and Saharawi refugees to establish themselves on Algerian soil.
The Western Sahara issue has been a longstanding territorial dispute between Rabat and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, resulting in a continuous diplomatic standoff and frequent border closures. The rivalry between the two nations intensified when Morocco established diplomatic ties with Israel, in exchange for US recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara and the promise of an American embassy in the disputed territory.
Algeria, which maintains friendly relations with countries recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, including Qatar, considered Morocco’s normalization of ties with Israel as a hostile move. Consequently, Algeria cut diplomatic ties, closed borders with Morocco, and banned Moroccan aircraft from its airspace.
While Morocco has repeatedly expressed its willingness to reconcile with Algeria and engage in mediation talks, Algeria has not responded to these invitations. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, in an interview with French daily Le Figaro in 2022, made it clear that the Moroccan regime is the cause of the problems and stated that no country can mediate between the two nations.
The Qatari offer to mediate between Algeria and Morocco comes at a time when efforts to find a resolution to the diplomatic tensions are crucial. By offering its services, Qatar aims to bring the two North African nations closer and facilitate a peaceful resolution to the long-standing dispute over Western Sahara.
As the situation evolves, the international community is keenly watching the developments between Algeria and Morocco. It remains to be seen whether the Qatari mediation proposal will be accepted and lead to a breakthrough in resolving the diplomatic tensions that have strained the relations between the two neighboring countries.
