In Line with International Law: Algeria-Spain Agreement on Western Sahara Copy link

Algeria Gate: In the first official meeting after the resumption of relations along the Algeria–Bamako axis, Malian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdoulaye Diop received today (Monday) the Algerian Ambassador Kamel Retieb, who recently returned to Bamako by order of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to resume his diplomatic duties.

The Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation stated, in a communiqué published on its official page, that the meeting falls within the efforts to revive bilateral cooperation between Algeria and Mali.

It is worth noting that on  July 10^th, 2026, Algeria decided to reopen its airspace to Malian aviation, in addition to returning its ambassador Kamel Retieb to his post in Bamako. In return, the Malian authorities took the same steps: they announced the reopening of Malian airspace to Algerian aviation and decided to return their ambassador to Algiers. This ended more than a year of diplomatic tension that began in April 2025.

Algeria Gate: Spanish exports to Algeria have surged more than sixfold in just two years, climbing from €332 million in 2023 to €2.133 billion in 2025. This swift commercial rebound has coincided with the reactivation of the 15-article Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation, alongside Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s visit to Algiers on  July 20^th, 2026.

Algeria is anchoring this recovery in a robust institutional framework that ties the restoration of trade to productive investment, joint ventures, skills training, and technology transfer. The treaty also provides structured mechanisms for monitoring projects and resolving economic disputes through regular intergovernmental meetings, moving beyond ad-hoc contacts or one-off deals.

Crisis Lessons Put Algeria Back at the Heart of Madrid’s Strategy

The diplomatic crisis that erupted in 2022 laid bare the heavy cost to Spanish businesses of reduced access to the Algerian market. Exports plummeted from €2.906 billion in 2019 to just €332 million in 2023, before a recovery took hold.

Exports recovered to €794.5 million in 2024 and soared to €2.133 billion in 2025. Meanwhile, Spanish imports from Algeria reached €6.296 billion, pushing total bilateral trade above €8.4 billion.

The momentum has continued into 2026, with Spanish exports totaling €803.6 million in the first four months of the year and Algerian exports to Spain reaching €4.240 billion. The figures illustrate Madrid’s gradual re-establishment in a key market, while giving Algiers significant leverage to channel the renewed engagement toward sectors aligned with its industrial priorities.

Treaty Transforms Reconciliation into a Structured Economic Agenda

The Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation was signed in Madrid on 8 October 8^th , 2002 and entered into force on  October 30^th, 2003. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune reactivated it on  March 26^th, 2026 during a meeting with Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares.

Article 1 sets out a political framework for sustained dialogue, including an annual high-level bilateral summit, yearly meetings between the two foreign ministers, and regular consultations between ministries and institutions.

The treaty’s economic provisions promote mutual investment, deeper ties between productive and service sectors, and the creation of joint projects and mixed companies. They encompass key areas such as energy, public works, housing, transport, telecommunications, maritime fisheries, environmental protection, and natural resource management.

Cooperation programs emphasize the exchange of expertise, vocational training, and the transfer of technological, scientific, and economic knowledge. Article 10 further establishes judicial cooperation across civil, commercial, criminal, and administrative fields, along with the review of legislation impacting institutions and investments.

Four Strategic Priorities Shape Spain’s Economic Re-engagement

The treaty equips Algeria with tools to steer Spanish investment toward four core objectives: establishing local production facilities, raising industrial integration rates, developing Algerian skills, and involving national enterprises in subcontracting and supply chains.

These priorities align with Madrid’s ambitions to expand its companies’ footprint in water desalination, railways, infrastructure, food processing, engineering, renewable energy, and defense sectors.

Spanish firms face stiff competition from German, Italian, Chinese, and Turkish players. The range of Algerian offers allows Algiers to evaluate proposals based on financing terms, technological quality, job creation, local content levels, and export potential.

Public procurement and major projects are being leveraged not merely for infrastructure delivery, but to foster a genuine local industrial base, including component manufacturing, maintenance team training, engineering knowledge transfer, and partnerships with Algerian small and medium-sized enterprises.

Africa Opens a Third Market for the Partnership

A notable clause in the treaty enables Algeria and Spain to pursue joint programs and projects in third countries, paving the way for economic collaboration across Africa.

Algerian partners can contribute market knowledge and logistical access through the Trans-Saharan Highway and border infrastructure, while Spanish companies bring engineering expertise, equipment, financing, and established European commercial networks.

This partnership model positions Algeria as a launchpad for joint ventures targeting the Sahel and West Africa, particularly in water management, solar energy, construction, food industries, transport, and electrical equipment.

The approach echoes the views of former Algerian diplomat and minister Abdelaziz Rahabi, who has long argued that the five-decade energy relationship must evolve to integrate Algeria more deeply into global value chains, especially in green hydrogen and bio-based raw materials, extending all the way to the end consumer.

Diplomatic Milestones Rebuild Confidence

The normalization process unfolded over several key steps: the appointment of Abdelfattah Daghmoum as Algeria’s ambassador to Madrid in December 2023, the gradual resumption of trade, and intensified political contacts throughout 2025.

In February 2026, Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Ahmed Attaf held talks in Madrid, followed by Albares’ visit to Algiers on  March 26^th , which included the formal reactivation of the treaty.

Spain’s designation as guest of honor at the 57th Algiers International Fair (22–27 June 2026) further strengthened ties, facilitating renewed business contacts and highlighting partnership opportunities in industry, agriculture, energy, equipment, and services.

The Algerian Economic Renewal Council and the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations also signed a memorandum of understanding to promote institutional cooperation and joint industrial projects.

Sánchez’s visit July 20^th  capped this momentum and set the stage for the eighth Algerian-Spanish High-Level Meeting, scheduled for October 2026. That gathering is expected to outline concrete implementation programs, priority sectors, and flagship projects.

Energy Leverage Opens Doors to New Sectors

Sánchez was accompanied by senior executives from four major energy firms; Naturgy, Repsol, Moeve, and Enagás, underscoring the enduring importance of Algerian gas, which meets nearly one-third of Spain’s imported requirements.

Sonatrach’s fulfillment of contractual obligations throughout the diplomatic crisis reinforced Algeria’s reputation as a reliable supplier. Algiers is now using this credibility to broaden cooperation into engineering services, solar power, green hydrogen, electricity storage, and methane emission reduction.

Geographical proximity further enables the development of integrated, short supply chains spanning the Mediterranean, combining Algerian energy and industrial capacity with Spanish technology, while targeting both European and African markets for finished goods.

October Summit to Test Madrid’s Commitment

More than 100 Spanish companies are already operating in Algeria, as Madrid works to resolve outstanding issues and payments from previous projects. The treaty provides institutional and legal channels to address these matters while respecting Algerian law and contracts, helping prevent lingering disputes from undermining the relationship.

Ultimately, the success of this rapprochement will be judged by tangible outcomes: the number of industrial projects implemented, investment volumes, levels of local integration, job creation and training opportunities, and the extent to which Algerian firms participate in regional and global value chains.

Spain enters this new chapter with a clear understanding of the price of losing the Algerian market. Algeria, for its part, approaches negotiations with diverse European and Asian alternatives at its disposal. This dynamic offers Algiers a historic opportunity to build a more balanced, mature partnership grounded in political stability, long-term investment, local manufacturing, and technology transfer.

Algeria Gate ; ALGIERS, July 20 Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez arrived in Algeria on Monday for his first official visit to the country since October 2020, aiming to cement a diplomatic thaw with Algiers after years of tension over Western Sahara.

Sánchez was welcomed at Houari Boumediene Airport by Algerian Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb, ahead of official talks with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who is set to host the Spanish leader for the visit’s central meeting.

Energy security tops the agenda. Algeria reclaimed its position as Spain’s top gas supplier in the first half of 2026, providing 33% of Spain’s total gas imports, according to grid operator Enagás. Sánchez’sdelegation includes the heads of Spain’s largest energy firms Naturgy, Repsol, Moeve, and Enagás signaling Madrid’s push to lock in long-term supply guarantees, including a possible expansion of the Medgaz pipeline. Talks are also expected to touch on renewable energy and green hydrogen cooperation.

Sánchez is accompanied by Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares and Ecological Transition Minister Sara Aagesen. Beyond energy, Western Sahara and irregular migration remain sensitive items on the bilateral agenda, even as both governments emphasize economic cooperation publicly.

Trade between Algeria and Spain reached approximately €8.5 billion in 2025, with more than 100 Spanish companies now operating in the Algerian market still below pre-crisis levels but recovering steadily since the diplomatic rupture that followed Madrid’s 2022 shift on