Diplomatic relations in the Maghreb and Sahel region are experiencing a new escalation of tensions. Colonel Abdoulaye Maïga, Malian Minister of State, launched a scathing verbal attack on Algeria during the 79th United Nations General Assembly, accusing Algiers of interference and harboring terrorists. This diplomatic charge had the effect of a stone in the pond, upsetting the regional geopolitical scene.
In this explosive context, Morocco chose its side, providing support to Mali against Algeria. Omar Hilalepermanent representative of the Shereef kingdom to the UN, took the opportunity to drive the point home, describing Algeria as “the mother of all problems in the Sahel and the Sahara”.
A united front against Algerian interference
The speech of Colonel Maïga has l’HIM marked a turning point in relations between Mali and Algeria. With uncommon verve in diplomatic forums, he declared the Algiers agreement “dead”, putting an end to years of Algerian mediation in the Malian crisis. This diplomatic rupture is akin to a political earthquake, the aftershocks of which are felt throughout the region.
Morocco, seizing the opportunity, immediately followed Mali’s lead. Omar Hilale has drawn up an uncompromising indictment against Algeria, accusing it of being the source of regional instability. “Algeria’s borders are teeming with terrorists, extremists and separatists”he said, in a statement which resonates like an amplified echo of the Malian minister’s words.
This convergence of views between Rabat and Bamako is not accidental. It is part of a reorganization of regional alliances, where Morocco seeks to extend its influence in the Sahel, to the detriment of its Algerian rival. It is as if the Cherifian kingdom had found in Mali a suitable ally to form a common front against what they perceive as Algerian hegemony.
A new regional dynamic in the making
The Moroccan initiative aimed at facilitating access for Sahel countries to the Atlantic Ocean appears in a new light in light of these events. This project, launched by the king Mohammed VI, could be compared to a hand extended towards the Sahelian states, offering them an alternative to Algerian influence.
The meeting between Nasser Bourita, Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, and his Sahel counterparts on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, thus takes on a strategic dimension. It symbolizes Morocco’s desire to position itself as an essential partner for the countries of the region, playing the card of economic cooperation in the face of what it denounces as Algerian political interference.
This new dynamic could redraw the map of influences in North Africa and the Sahel. Mali, by rejecting the Algiers agreement and accusing Algeria of harboring terrorists, seems to have opened a breach into which Morocco has rushed. It is as if a new Rabat-Bamako axis was being formed, challenging the established order in the region.
The challenges of lasting peace in the Sahel
The challenge for the countries of the Sahel and the Maghreb will be to find a balance between their national interests and the need for regional cooperation in the face of common threats. The Malian strategy, combining military action and economic development, could serve as a model, but its success will largely depend on the capacity of the AES States to join forces in this direction.
In this game of diplomatic chess, every move counts. Morocco’s displayed support for Mali against Algeria could be the prelude to an in-depth restructuring of regional alliances. It remains to be seen whether this new situation will contribute to bringing the much-hoped-for stability to the Sahel or whether it will only exacerbate existing tensions.
