Algeria is represented in Morocco by a consulate general in Rabat, and two consulates in Casablanca and Oujda. Morocco is represented in Algeria by an embassy and consulate general in Algiers, as well as two consulates in Oran and Sidi Bel Abbès. Relations between the two North African states have been marred by several crises since their independence, particularly the 1963 Sand War, the Western Sahara War of 1975–1991, the closing of the Algeria–Morocco border in 1994, an ongoing disagreement over the political status of Western Sahara and the signing of the Israel–Morocco normalization agreement (as part of the Abraham Accords) in 2020.
On August 24, 2021, Algeria severed ties with Morocco. Algeria accused Morocco of supporting a separatist group and hostile actions against Algeria. Morocco called the decision unjustified. As of March 2023, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said that the relations between two countries have reached “the point of no return due to Morocco's continued provocation of Algeria. ”
Historical relations
Morocco was involved in the French conquest of Algeria that started in 1830. First the kingdom supported the Algerian resistance groups against France but ceased this support in 1844 following the French bombardment of Tanger and the Battle of Isly. France and Morocco then agreed on a border till the Atlas Mountains which remained when Morocco was turned into a French and Spanish protectorate, leaving the border south of it unknown. In 1912, the border between the French Protectorate of Morocco and French Algeria was extended further south with the Varnier Line.
Post-colonization and the Sand War
After Morocco had gained independence from France in 1956, King Mohammed V provided arms, money, and medicines to Algerian FLN forces waging a war of independence against French rule; Morocco also served as a rear base for Algerian insurgents to set up training camps for newer recruits. During this period, King Mohammed also refused to negotiate with France over the precise outline of Morocco's border with Algeria in the Sahara Desert that had not yet been demarcated earlier in 1844 or with the Varnier Line in 1912. This was further complicated by the popularity of reinstating the border of Greater Morocco among Moroccan politicians among whom Allal El Fassi, then president of the Istiqlal Party. These borders encompass the entirety of Mauritania, parts of Mali and Algeria.
On 23 January 1961 King Hassan II of Morocco reported that the Moroccan-Algerian commission at the ministerial level finalized a structure for a United Arab Maghreb.
After Algerian independence, the border disputes remained leading to skirmishes along the Algerian-Moroccan border and the eventual outbreak of the Sand War in 1963. The dispute revolved around Morocco claiming the region surrounding Tidnouf. After two months of fighting, Algeria and Morocco agreed to a ceasefire agreed upon on 29 and 30 October 1963 in Bamako, Mali. The two main points entails that the pre-war border would remain and that the border area would be demilitarized guaranteed by Ethiopian and Malian supervisors. However, Morocco kept pushing for its demand to hold a referendum in the villages of Hassi-Beida and Tindjoub whether these would want to join Morocco or remain in Algeria. The day of the official ceasefire to the Sand War on 1 November, Algerian President Ben Bella demanded the evacuation of Moroccan armed forces from Hassi-Beida and Tindjoub. The Moroccan soldiers refused which was met by a bombardment of Figuig in Morocco by Algeria. After a second ceasefire on 20 February 1964, Moroccan troops retreated Hassi-Beida and Tindjoub as did the Algerian forces from Figuig.
Treaty of Ifrane
The Treaty of Ifrane, signed in January 1969, between Algerian President Houari Boumediene and Hassan's government, is a significant historical agreement that has shaped the relationship between Algeria and Morocco. It represents a pivotal moment in the diplomatic history of the two North African nations, as it aimed to address long-standing territorial and border disputes between them. The treaty was named after the city of Ifrane, located in the Middle Atlas region of Morocco, where the negotiations took place.
The Treaty of Ifrane sought to establish a framework for peaceful coexistence, cooperation, and the resolution of conflicts between Algeria and Morocco. It focused on delineating the boundaries, clarifying territorial claims, and establishing mechanisms for the joint management of shared resources. Furthermore, the treaty aimed to promote economic integration, cultural exchanges, fostering a sense of regional unity and stability.