Algeria has withdrawn its ambassador from France and downgraded its diplomatic representation to the level of chargé d’affaires in response to France’s recognition of a Moroccan proposal for autonomy in the disputed Western Sahara region.
In a statement, the Algerian Foreign Ministry accused France of “violating international legitimacy and disregarding the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination by endorsing the Moroccan plan as the sole basis for resolving the Western Sahara conflict within the framework of presumed Moroccan sovereignty.”
The Ministry criticised the current French administration for lacking foresight and failing to assess the consequences of its actions, noting that “no previous French government had taken such a step.”
“As a result, Algeria has decided to immediately withdraw its ambassador to the French Republic, appointing a chargé d’affaires to handle diplomatic affairs in France,” the statement added.
The Western Sahara conflict dates back to 1975 when Spanish colonial rule ended. Subsequently, the region saw armed hostilities between Morocco and the Polisario Front until a ceasefire agreement was reached in 1991. Morocco proposes an expanded form of self-rule in the Western Sahara under its sovereignty, while the Algeria-backed Polisario Front advocates for a referendum on self-determination.
This diplomatic rift marks a significant escalation in the tensions between Algeria and France, underscoring the complex and contentious nature of the Western Sahara dispute.