Rabat - Following a US tour in North Africa to secure Algerian gas for Europe, Russia’s Ambassador to Algeria has voiced his country’s support for Algeria’s Western Sahara position to curry favor with its partner in Algiers.
Two days after US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken visited Algiers in a bid to secure expanded Algerian gas shipments to Europe, Russia is responding in kind through statements in support of Algeria’s position on the Western Sahara dispute.
In a recent interview with Algerian channel An-Nahar, Russia’s Ambassador to Algiers described Spain’s recent foreign policy change in favor of Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the result of “pressure to modify its position.” The ambassador again reiterated Russia’s support for UN resolutions regarding the Western Sahara and the need for a negotiated solution.
Appeasing Algeria
The ambassador’s efforts to please Algerian audiences was made evident by his description of the dispute as being purely between Polisario separatists and Morocco. This perspective is shared only by Algeria as UN resolutions continue to highlight Algiers’ undeniable role in prolonging the dispute.
Ignoring Algeria as a party to the conflict is a common talking point among Algerian leadership, aiming to absolve Algiers of its responsibility for arming, sheltering, training and funding the separatist militia that has undermined peace and development in the region for over three decades.
Moscow’s representative in Algeria spoke of internal US opposition to the 2020 US decision to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty on the Western Sahara region, likely referring to the few US politicians that promote the arguments of Algerian lobbyists in Washington DC.
Provocation or desperate plea?
Spanish outlet La Razon painted the Russian statement as a direct message of support for Polisario separatists. Yet, the piece noticeably ignored any context related to the current US-Russia struggle to influence decision-making in Algiers.
Russia’s diplomatic support for its long-standing partner in North Africa is neither changed or provocative but appears to simply be a desperate counteroffensive to stop US efforts to push Algeria to expand gas exports to Europe, which would undermine Russian pressure on oil and gas markets.
Europe and the US have been eager to attempt to enlist both Algeria and Morocco in its efforts to isolate and punish Russia for its recent illegal incursion into Ukraine. Yet despite international pressure from key allies, Morocco has maintained its diplomatic stance that is mirrored by many in Africa, the Middle-East and Asia.
While Morocco regrets Russia’s military offensive in Ukraine, it calls for immediate conflict resolution and mediation and respect for Ukraine's territorial integrity to prevent any unnecessary further escalation and loss of life in Eastern Europe.
Conflict resolution
Spain, meanwhile, is firmly in Washington’s camp, choosing to arm Ukraine and expand sanctions in an effort to force an unlikely Russian surrender. Many experts worry that this approach risks prolonging an unwinnable war for Ukraine, while potentially exacerbating the bloodshed and undermining conflict resolution efforts.
Russia and Ukraine are currently negotiating in apparent good faith, with both parties willing to make some concessions to reach a mutually acceptable solution. As the two parties involved in the conflict work out their differences, Morocco continues to emphasize the need for such a negotiated solution while aiming to prevent further escalation, as it did successfully in Libya.
Given the current geopolitical context, Moroccan diplomats are likely to see Russia’s recent overtures to Algeria as a desperate plea to retain Algiers’ support, instead of a provocation towards Morocco, as Spanish outlet La Razon has framed it.
While Russia’s statement shows Moscow’s limited ability to entice Algeria, it is regrettable that peace and stability in the Western Sahara region continues to be used as a bargaining chip to curry favor within the current geopolitical crisis.
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