Home MOROCCO MAGHREB: Mohammed VI calls on Algeria and Morocco to overcome their differences

MAGHREB: Mohammed VI calls on Algeria and Morocco to overcome their differences

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Roi Mohammed VI @Agence Ecofin

It is a strong political marker and a moment much awaited by the Moroccans that the traditional throne speech, delivered every year at the end of July by the Cherian sovereign Mohammed VI. Unsurprisingly, the 2021 one delivered by the King addressed the topics of the moment such as the health crisis, the economic revival or the new giant device put in place last year in terms of social protection. But it is on the geopolitical level that this year’s speech stands out, Mohammed VI having addressed a direct appeal to the Algerian President, Abdelmajid Tebboune, inviting him “at his earliest convenience… to work in unison for the development of fraternal relations between [the] two peoples during years of common struggle.”

For several weeks, tensions were growing between the two neighbouring countries of North Africa, Algiers having recalled its ambassador in Rabat for «consultations» following a Moroccan position at the UN on the Kabyle file, deemed «unacceptable» by Algeria. In addition to the traditional stumbling block between the two countries that is the Western Sahara file, it would therefore seem that new sources of additional tensions are coming enkyster still a little more a structurally tense bilateral relationship.

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It is in a logic of de-escalation that the King of Morocco called in his speech from the throne to “In keeping with this approach, we renew our sincere invitation to our brothers and sisters in Algeria to work together and unconditionally to establish bilateral relations based on trust, dialogue and good neighbourliness.”

This is not the first time that the Moroccan sovereign has spoken directly to Algeria and its leaders. Since the early 2000s, Mohammed VI has regularly called for the reopening of the borders between the two countries. This year, he goes further by stating that the two neighbours are “more than two neighbouring nations, Morocco and Algeria are twin countries that complement each other.” He also called for a pooling of efforts between the two countries to combat the common challenges of immigration, drug trafficking and smuggling.

The day after this television address, no reaction had yet been recorded by the Algerian power to this extended hand of the Moroccan head of state.

Source : Agence Ecofin

       

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