Algerian Interior Minister Ibrahim Murad arrived in Spain on Monday for an official visit, the first by an Algerian official since diplomatic tensions erupted between the two countries in 2022.
Murad’s visit includes meetings with Spanish officials to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation and ties, according to a statement from the Algerian Interior Ministry.
The diplomatic dispute began in 2022 when Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote to King Mohammed VI to support Morocco’s plan for autonomy over Western Sahara. The move provoked a harsh response from Algeria, which suspended cooperation with Spain. Algerian imports from Spain subsequently fell, but exports (mainly natural gas, oil and petroleum products) continued to flow.
Murad’s visit marks a shift toward reconciliation that coincides with broader diplomatic efforts between Algeria and Spain. Last week, Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf met with his Spanish counterpart José Manuel Albares during the G20 summit in South Africa. It was the first high-level talks since the diplomatic row.
The detente in Algerian-Spanish relations comes amid rising tensions between Algeria and Paris. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has warned of an irreversible break with France, particularly after French President Emmanuel Macron backed Morocco’s stance on Western Sahara.
The Western Sahara conflict has been a bone of contention between Morocco and Algeria for decades. Morocco claims control over much of the region after Spain withdrew from the region in 1975, while the pro-independence Polisario Front, backed by Algeria, continues to demand a referendum on self-determination. Morocco maintains autonomy under its own rule, while the United Nations does not recognize either Morocco’s or the Polisario Front’s claims to sovereignty.
Murad’s visit to Spain is seen as a significant step toward reestablishing diplomatic relations after more than two years of tense relations.