In a recent manifestation of erratic diplomacy, Algeria returned its ambassador to Madrid after a recall that lasted 18 months in protest against Spain’s sovereign decision to back Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara and its autonomy plan. Algeria has shown its real face as the genuine party to the Sahara conflict by protesting against the Spanish support for Morocco’s autonomy plan in 2022. It started by recalling its ambassador to Madrid in March 2022, scrapped a neighborliness treaty and took trade retaliation measures going as far as threatening to cut gas deliveries to Spain. It also weaponized migration, letting boats loaded with Algerian youth take the risky crossing from Algeria’s coasts to Spain. The Algerian regime is also returning its ambassador to Spain in an acknowledgement of diplomatic defeat amid a trend in the international community to back Morocco’s autonomy plan.
