Morocco-Algeria Rivalry: Dusting Off Historical Dispute
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Roshan Amiri
- . March 15, 2024
- . Update: March 15, 2024 11:58 pm
In recent months, persistent rumours have increased about the possibility of France, the former colonial power in the region, recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara territory.
Morocco has long hoped that its close historical ally France would take this definitive step, which would follow supportive moves by the United States, Germany, Spain and several other nations in recent years.
The potential addition of official recognition of Moroccan sovereignty by France, the colonial power that played the pivotal role in delineating and dividing the territories of North Africa in the early 20th century, would represent a monumental political and symbolic blow against Algeria’s ongoing territorial aspirations to wrest control of Western Sahara from its defiant Moroccan neighbour.
Rabat seeks to fully capitalize on the perceived favourable shifts and realignments underway in the geopolitical winds across North Africa to conclusively extinguish Algeria’s rival claims and to solidify Morocco’s long-standing leadership position regionally, especially over this strategic stretch of the Sahara Desert.
Exploiting Troubled France-Algeria Relations
The deepening strains and fissures in recent years between Paris and Algiers provide a potentially advantageous setting for Morocco’s renewed diplomatic push on this sensitive sovereignty matter. The deterioration of French-Algerian relations has played out publicly, with the latest high-profile example being Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s indefinite postponement in May 2023 of a planned state visit to Paris, which had been intended to help reset the troubled ties between the two nations. France is now reportedly inviting Tebboune again in hopes the visit can finally take place a year later than originally scheduled, although nothing appears guaranteed given the tenuous state of affairs.
Retracing Historical Roots and Missteps
According to Director Simou’s research into the Royal Archives, the complex historical origins underlying the modern-day disagreement over Western Sahara’s status stretch back over 60 years to the period immediately following Moroccan independence from France in 1956.
At that time, the French government, via its ambassador in Rabat Alexandre Parodi, proposed a deal where it would return the Tindouf area in Algeria to Moroccan sovereignty.
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However, Morocco’s King Mohammed V rejected this proposal, believing its acceptance would represent a “betrayal of the Algerian fighters” who were still battling for their independence from France.
However, just two years later in 1963, an armed conflict known as the Sands War broke out between Moroccan and Algerian forces along their barren frontiers. International mediation efforts
