Algeria And Spain Turn The Page On A Complex Crisis That Affected Bilateral Relations

The meeting between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, National Community Abroad, and African Affairs, Mr. Ahmed Attaf, and his Spanish counterpart, Mr. José Manuel Albares, was merely a prelude to other meetings between the two ministers, confirming the return of political, diplomatic, and economic relations between Algeria and Madrid to their normal state.

The Spanish newspaper “El Independiente” reported on Sunday, February 8, citing sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Madrid, that Mr. José Manuel Albares “will hold” a meeting soon with his Algerian counterpart, but these sources did not indicate the date of this meeting, which comes amid a remarkable improvement in Algerian-Spanish relations, which have begun to recover from a complex crisis caused by Madrid due to its change in stance on the Western Sahara issue.

The meeting between the Algerian Foreign Minister and his Spanish counterpart was followed by a celebration by Mr. José Manuel Albares of the recovery of bilateral relations, where he described relations with Algeria as “firm” in a tweet.

Meanwhile, Spanish media reports held the socialist minister (Albares) partly responsible for the damage to bilateral relations about four years ago, due to his statements that further fueled the fire of bilateral relations at the time.

Although the head of Spanish diplomacy also met with the Mauritanian Foreign Minister, Mr. Mohamed Salem Ould Merzouk, on the same day, his celebration of the meeting with Mr. Ahmed Attaf was remarkable. He wrote in a tweet on his “X” account after the meeting: “We are friends, partners, and neighbors. Algeria is our main gas supplier, and a reliable and continuous strategic partner.”

In a second tweet, he also highlighted the recovery of trade between the two countries, stating, “Spanish exports to Algeria are expected to hike by 190 percent in 2025, after increasing by 141 percent in 2024.” He added: “Spain and Algeria continue their journey forward together, and we have significantly strengthened our political friendship.”

After Algeria canceled the Spanish minister’s visit, which was scheduled about two years ago, while the causes of the crisis were strongly present, Mr. José Manuel Albares is preparing to visit Algeria, according to a statement from the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday: “…On this occasion, it was emphasized the necessity of taking advantage of the Spanish minister’s upcoming visit to Algeria to optimally prepare for the eighth session of the Algerian-Spanish High-Level Meeting.”

Algerian-Spanish relations did not regain their calm until Madrid knew how to correct its stance on the Western Sahara issue, considering that its previous stance caused significant damage to bilateral relations, as it led to Algeria suspending the implementation of the Treaty of Friendship and Good Neighborliness, which was signed in 2002.