Algeria has announced the immediate withdrawal of its ambassador from France in response to Paris’s recognition of Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara. The decision, disclosed by the Algerian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, follows French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent letter to Moroccan King Mohammed VI, which acknowledged Morocco’s 2007 proposal for offering Western Sahara autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty.
The Algerian Foreign Ministry condemned the French government’s stance, describing it as an endorsement of a “colonial reality” and criticising it for being made “with great disdain and indifference.” The ministry argued that this support undermines international legitimacy and denies the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination.
Furthermore, Algeria’s statement accused France of contradicting the United Nations’ ongoing efforts to decolonise Western Sahara and of neglecting its responsibilities as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
In response, Algeria has decided to downgrade its diplomatic representation in France to a charge d’affaires. This development highlights the ongoing and deep-seated tensions between Algeria and Morocco over the disputed territory of Western Sahara.
