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Article of the week Foreign Policy July 31, 2024

Algeria Withdraws Ambassador from France over Western Sahara Dispute

Photo: Reuters

Algeria announced on Tuesday the “immediate withdrawal” of its ambassador from France. This decision comes in the wake of French President Emmanuel Macron’s declaration to bolster France’s support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for the contentious territory of Western Sahara. The Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) revealed in a statement that the Algerian diplomatic mission in France will now be headed by a chargé d’affaires, marking a stark shift in diplomatic relations between the two nations. The Algerian MFA’s statement condemned Macron’s stance, emphasizing that no other French government has previously taken such a position. This development underscores the deep-seated sensitivities surrounding the Western Sahara issue, a territory that has been a point of contention for nearly five decades.

Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, has been embroiled in a prolonged territorial dispute since Spain’s withdrawal in 1975. Morocco claims sovereignty over the region and has proposed an autonomy plan that would allow Western Sahara to govern its internal affairs while remaining under Moroccan sovereignty. Conversely, the Polisario Front, backed by Algeria, advocates for a self-determination referendum, a promise embedded in a 1991 ceasefire agreement that has yet to be fulfilled.
Morocco controls most of Western Sahara, and its autonomy proposal has garnered varying degrees of international support. The Polisario Front’s stance, however, remains steadfast on holding a referendum to determine the region’s future, a position that continues to garner backing from Algeria.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s letter to King Mohammed VI of Morocco, which was publicized by the Rabat government, explicitly endorses Morocco’s autonomy plan as the sole foundation for a sustainable resolution to the Western Sahara conflict. This endorsement marks a significant alignment with Morocco’s stance, potentially reshaping the diplomatic dynamics in the region.
France’s support for Morocco’s plan is not merely symbolic; it signals a strategic pivot that could influence other international actors’ positions on the matter. By recognizing the autonomy plan as the exclusive basis for resolving the dispute, France is effectively sidelining the Polisario Front’s call for a referendum, thereby intensifying the geopolitical rift between Morocco and Algeria.
Algeria’s decision to withdraw its ambassador from France is a robust response, reflecting its deep discontent with Macron’s declaration. This move could lead to a cooling of Franco-Algerian relations, which have historically been complex due to colonial legacies and contemporary political disagreements.
The withdrawal of the ambassador signifies Algeria’s intent to reassess its diplomatic engagement with France and underscores the gravity with which it views the Western Sahara issue. This development could also have broader implications for regional stability and international diplomatic alignments concerning the Western Sahara dispute.
By Cora Sulleyman

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