Algeria’s hostility toward Morocco is not fleeting—it is deep, systemic, and tied to internal legitimacy and the long-running Western Sahara conflict.
Root Causes: Historical Legitimacy & Political Survival
- Revolutionary identity dependence: Since independence, Algerian power has rested on the narrative of the liberation struggle, which no longer resonates with younger generations Reuters+5ft.com+5manaramagazine.org+5Carnegie Endowment+3Atalayar+3GIS Reports+3.
- Need for an external enemy: This ideological stagnation makes Morocco a convenient scapegoat to distract from internal economic and political failures AtalayarWikipédia.
Western Sahara: The Flashpoint
- Strategic project, not altruism: Algeria supports the Polisario Front claiming Sahrawi self‑determination, but analysts see this as a geopolitical tool to block Moroccan access to the Atlantic and expand influence crisisgroup.org+15Wikipédia+15ft.com+15.
- Historical flashpoints: From the Sand War in 1963 to battles at Amgala and the mass expulsion of Moroccans during the Madrid Accords era, tensions coalesced around the Sahara issue Wikipédia+5Wikipédia+5Wikipédia+5.
State Mechanisms of Hostility
- Militarized diplomacy: Algeria punished political dissenters and taught biased history in schools while presenting Morocco as an existential threat Morocco World News+9DW.com+9Morocco World News+9.
- Information control: Voices challenging hostility narratives are criminalized. Pro‑Moroccan sentiments or sympathy for North African cooperation are suppressed Reuters.
Regional Isolation & Missed Opportunities
- Diplomatic setbacks: Algeria’s international isolation intensified after France, the U.S. and UK backed Morocco’s Western Sahara autonomy plan—a blow to Algiers’ strategy Reuters+4ft.com+4Middle East Eye+4.
- Military urgency: In response, Algeria advanced legislation for full mobilization amid rising tensions with Morocco, Mali, and France AP News.
Meanwhile, Morocco is embracing international legitimacy, economic growth, and continental diplomacy without defining itself in opposition to Algeria.
🔍 Why This Tension Matters to U.S. Audiences
- Strategic ally tensions: Morocco is a partner in security and regional energy projects. Algeria’s isolation impairs stability in the Maghreb Morocco World News+7Atlantic Council+7ResearchGate+7.
- Western Sahara’s legal angle: With the U.S. officially endorsing Morocco’s autonomy plan and rejecting referenda backed by Algeria, the region is playing out in international institutions ReutersReutersMorocco World News.
🌍 Moroccan-Western Sahara Connection
- Morocco’s proposal since 2007 offers limited self-governance under Moroccan sovereignty, gaining support from France, Spain, the UK, Portugal, and the U.S. Reuters.
- Still, Algeria rejects inclusion in negotiations, insisting on referenda and Sahrawi independence—an approach seen by critics as outdated and strategically hollow Morocco World Newssecuritycouncilreport.orgMiddle East Eye.
Key Takeaway
Algeria’s animosity toward Morocco stems from a fusion of internal legitimacy crisis, post‑colonial geopolitical rivalry, and the contested Western Sahara. As Morocco gains global backing and charts pragmatic autonomy for the Sahara, Algeria doubles down on ideological rigidity—which risks deepening its isolation and freezing bilateral cooperation.
FAQ
Why does Algeria support Western Sahara’s independence?
Algeria frames its policy as support for Sahrawi self‑determination, but scholars argue it’s a geopolitical tool to limit Morocco’s regional influence.
Did Morocco support Algeria’s independence?
Yes. Morocco backed Algerian FLN fighters during the war of independence, but this chapter is mostly erased today from Algerian narratives.
What is Morocco’s Western Sahara autonomy plan?
It offers civilian self‑rule under Moroccan sovereignty with international oversight, recognized by the U.S., UK, France, Spain, and Portugal.
Could Algeria change its stance?
Some analysts suggest Algeria might need to adopt flexible diplomacy to avoid deeper isolation, though current rhetoric remains hardline Wikipédia.
Conclusion
Algeria’s hostility toward Morocco reflects structural insecurity: a regime clinging to old legitimacy and using Western Sahara as a political prop. As Morocco pursues constructive diplomacy and autotomy solutions, Algeria’s resistance risks leaving it geopolitically marooned. Unless it reimagines its historical narrative and vision, Algeria may remain trapped in its own self‑made impasse.