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The arms race between Morocco and Algeria to obtain advanced weapons increased the fears and concerns of Madrid, which views this race as threatening the balance of power in the region and threatening the retreat of the Spanish army in front of the Moroccan and Algerian armies.
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The Spanish newspaper “El Plural” referred to this fact in a report, in which it revealed Algeria’s tendency to renew some of its weapons, such as modern submarines equipped with missiles from Russia, noting that this Algerian approach comes to counter Morocco’s tendency to develop its military capabilities by obtaining weapons from the United States, America and Israel.
Although Spain has good diplomatic relations with Morocco in the current period, in contrast to its relations with Algeria that were damaged after the latter’s decision to sever its relations with Madrid following Spain’s recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara.
Spain made a drastic change of heart on March 18 on the sensitive issue of Western Sahara.
Having remained neutral about the fate of its former colony, the Spanish government publicly supported Morocco’s proposal to grant autonomy to Western Sahara under its sovereignty.
The diplomatic tensions between Rabat and Madrid began a year ago when Madrid allowed Brahim Ghali, leader of the Polisario Front, which seeks independence for the territory of Western Sahara, to be treated for COVID-19 in a Spanish hospital.
Morocco has accused Ghali of “war crimes” and since 1975, when Spain withdrew from its territories and abandon the Sahara and its people. Since then, Morocco considered Sahara as part of its territory and claimed authority over Western Sahara, although the United Nations (UN) does not recognize Moroccan control. From then till now the Polisario have been bravely fighting against Morocco.
This led to the tensions between Spain and Algeria, which declared that the shift in Spain’s position on the issue of Western Sahara is morally and historically unacceptable.
Algeria was surprised by the sudden turn in the Spanish position and recalled its ambassador to Madrid on March 2022.
The Algerian president, Abdul Majid Tebboune said that Algeria “has good relations with Spain,” but the recent stance of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on the Sahrawi issue “changed everything.”
He added, “We will not interfere in Spain’s internal affairs, but Algeria, as a country observing the Western Sahara file, as well as the United Nations, considers that Spain is “the power managing the region and it failed in its duty to find solution for the conflict”.
At the internal level, this caused a huge political crisis. Many Spanish lawmakers, including from the left- and right-wing opposition and Unidos Podemos, the government partner to Sanchez’s Socialist Party, voted in a resolution against the foreign policy change.
Spain’s concerns remain regarding the two countries together in terms of armament. Its concern about the armaments carried out by Morocco and Algeria is not something new or hidden, as the Spanish newspaper mentioned. It revealed last April that Morocco is acquiring weapons that Spain does not possess and is in need. As the newspaper explained, this raises the concern of the military circles in Madrid, especially as it constantly contributes to reducing the difference or the military gap that is still up to now in favor of Spain.
