Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is expected to pay an official visit to Algeria on July 20, in what is considered the most prominent step since the outbreak of the diplomatic crisis between the two countries in 2022, as it is expected to constitute the culmination of the political reconciliation process and the end of years of tension.
The Spanish newspaper “The Objective” revealed that Sánchez will arrive in Algeria for a one-day visit, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Ecological Transition Sara Agues and another member of the government, where he will be received by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. This will be the first visit by a Spanish Prime Minister to Algeria since October 2020.
The visit comes after months of accelerated political contacts between the two countries, most notably the visit of Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Alvarez to Algeria last March, during which the Algerian presidency announced the reactivation of the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborliness and Cooperation signed in 2002, after it had been suspended due to the political crisis that erupted because of the Spanish position on the Western Sahara issue.
According to the Spanish newspaper, the timing of the visit is of particular importance, as it coincides with discussions within Spain regarding a draft law that would grant Spanish citizenship to residents of Western Sahara born during the period of Spanish administration of the territory, an issue that raises political and historical sensitivities for Algeria, according to the report.
This also comes at a time when Madrid has launched a broad program to regularize the status of migrants, which has increased the demand for consular services between the two countries, which suggests that immigration, mobility and consular cooperation files will be on the agenda of the talks, in addition to preparations for holding the eighth session of the high-level governmental meeting, which represents the most important mechanism for political and economic consultation between Algeria and Spain.
Regarding the issue of irregular migration specifically, the newspaper quoted Spanish diplomatic sources as saying that the flow of irregular migrants coming from the Algerian coasts towards the Balearic Islands has been one of the most prominent issues raised between Madrid and Algiers in the past period.
The report stated that between June and September of last year, approximately 3,900 migrants arrived in the Balearic Islands on 224 boats that departed from Algeria, compared to only 1,900 migrants who reached the Canary Islands during the same period. The report added that some Spanish circles attribute this increase to what they described as a decline in Algerian cooperation in combating irregular migration networks, a matter that will be discussed between the two sides.
In addition, the economic aspect is expected to occupy a prominent position in the talks, given the desire of both parties to restore the momentum that characterized trade relations before the crisis, after exchanges were severely damaged as a result of the political dispute.
The economic aspect is expected to take center stage in the talks, given both sides' desire to restore the momentum that characterized trade relations before the crisis.
In recent weeks, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune sent positive messages towards Madrid during the opening of the latest edition of the Algiers International Fair, in which Spain participated as the guest of honor, indicating that relations between the two countries are strong and that any misunderstanding finds its way to a solution, describing Spain as an economic power from whose partnership Algeria benefits.
The roots of the crisis between the two countries go back to March 2022, when the Spanish government announced its support for the Moroccan autonomy proposal in Western Sahara, a shift that Algeria considered a departure from Madrid’s traditional position supporting the UN process, given that Spain is the former administering power of the territory.
Algeria responded at the time by withdrawing its ambassador from Madrid and suspending the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborliness and Cooperation. Most trade exchanges were frozen, with the exception of natural gas exports, which caused considerable losses for Spanish companies that lost one of their most important markets in North Africa.
The crisis was clearly reflected in trade exchanges, as Spanish exports to Algeria declined from about 1.9 billion euros in 2021 to about 330 million euros in 2023, while Spanish media estimated the losses of Spanish companies at more than 3.2 billion euros as a result of the disruption of trade activity.
Despite the intensity of the political dispute, the energy sector remained unaffected by the tension, as Algeria continued to fulfill its contractual obligations to supply Spain with natural gas via the Medgaz pipeline, which strengthened its position as a reliable partner in the field of energy security, especially in light of the turmoil witnessed in European markets.
During the recent visit of the Spanish Foreign Minister to Algeria, José Manuel Álvarez affirmed that Algeria represents a “strategic partner and a friendly country,” noting that the two countries share common interests in the stability of the Mediterranean and Africa region, as well as cooperation in the areas of energy, migration and security.
Alpars also announced an agreement to resume high-level political visits and reactivate bilateral cooperation mechanisms, stressing that trade exchanges have regained their upward trend, with Spanish exports to Algeria tripling compared to the period immediately following the crisis.
The Spanish minister pointed out that more than one hundred Spanish companies are currently active in the Algerian market, at a time when both sides are seeking to expand cooperation in the fields of industry, renewable energy, infrastructure and services.
Economic reports indicate that cooperation in the field of energy will remain one of the most important pillars of the bilateral partnership, as Algeria has been the primary supplier of natural gas to Spain for three years. Media reports have also mentioned a move to increase the quantities of gas transported via the Medgaz pipeline from 28 to 32 million cubic meters per day, approaching the pipeline's maximum capacity.
Overall, the visit of Sanchez, who is particularly appreciated in Algeria for his stances on the Palestinian issue, will be the culmination of a process of rebuilding trust between the two countries, which began with the resumption of full diplomatic representation, then the restoration of trade exchanges, and finally the reactivation of the friendship treaty and the resumption of official visits.
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