Algerian foreign ministry unilaterally postponed a planned visit by Spanish foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez in what appears as a reaction to Spain’s support for the Moroccan position on the Sahara issue. Spain also agreed to negotiate maritime borders, including those off the Sahara, with Morocco in another indication of Spanish realism towards the Sahara issue. The Algerian foreign ministry gave a rude excuse for the postponement of the new Spanish foreign minister’s visit, saying that foreign minister Sabri Boukaddoum will be busy on the day of her visit attending a presidential meeting. EL Confidential and other Spanish papers interpreted the move as a reaction by Algiers to the close ties between Spain and Morocco. Côte d’Ivoire was the latest country to open a consulate in Laayoune bringing its support for Morocco’s territorial integrity to a consular level.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 25, 2020 16:18 UTC