US stance on Sahara fuels tensions with Algeria

Algeria's government has expressed strong discontent following a recent statement from the United States reaffirming its support for Morocco's territorial integrity and sovereignty over Sahara. This endorsement aligns with the U.S. view that the Moroccan Autonomy Plan represents the most viable solution to the ongoing dispute.

In an official statement, Algeria's Foreign Affairs Ministry lamented the U.S. position, which characterizes the autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty as the only realistic pathway to resolving the Sahara conflict. The ministry stated, "Algeria has taken note of the reaffirmation by the U.S. The Department of State views the autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty as the only solution to the Sahara conflict."

As a principal backer of the Polisario Front, the separatist movement claiming Sahara, Algeria's reaction underscores its long-standing opposition to Morocco's claims over the territory. The North African nation has consistently supported Polisario's aspirations, providing both military and diplomatic resources.

The U.S. reaffirmation comes at a time when Algeria is already grappling with regional tensions. The Algerian Council of the Nation recently decided to suspend diplomatic ties with the French Senate, further isolating itself on the international stage.

This latest development reinforces assessments that the U.S. endorsement of the Moroccan Autonomy Plan represents a significant setback for Algeria and its separatist allies. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a meeting with Moroccan Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita, reiterated Washington’s unwavering stance on the issue, emphasizing the importance of Morocco's Autonomy Proposal as the foundation for a just resolution to the dispute.

Rubio highlighted that all parties should engage in discussions without delay, framing Morocco’s initiative as the only framework for negotiating a mutually acceptable solution. The U.S. remains committed to facilitating these negotiations.

In response to this renewed support for Morocco, Algeria has maintained that the Sahara dispute constitutes an "unfinished decolonization process" and insists on the right to self-determination for the region's inhabitants. Algeria's government argues that the separatists continue to hold this right.

The recent U.S. statement effectively counters Algeria's attempts to sway the Biden administration against Morocco's autonomy plan, a strategy the Algerian regime has pursued since the U.S. first voiced its support for Moroccan territorial integrity in December 2020. Algeria continues to obstruct the UN-led political process, rejecting its involvement as a primary party to the dispute.