The farce in Algiers: Tebboune’s desperate embrace of Polisario chief

Friday 02 May 2025 - 10:20

By: Dakir Madiha

The farce in Algiers: Tebboune’s desperate embrace of Polisario chief

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune received Polisario Front leader Brahim Ghali at the presidential palace in Algiers on Wednesday. This meeting, a mere spectacle of diplomatic irrelevance, underscores Algeria's futile attempts to sustain its anti-Morocco campaign amidst growing international support for Morocco's sovereignty over its southern provinces.

Algeria, which hypocritically claims neutrality in the dispute, continues to arm the Polisario Front, most recently supplying four Fajr-54 combat drones, as noted by political analyst Oualid Kebir. The meeting, devoid of the usual presence of Algeria’s military strongman General Said Chengriha, was presented as a discussion on “relations between their two countries”—a delusional assertion that ignores geopolitical realities.

The backdrop of this performance is stark, especially following recent United Nations scrutiny. Just days prior, UN officials summoned Polisario representatives to account for their attacks on MINURSO patrols and obstructions of UN logistics convoys. This timing reveals Algeria’s desperate maneuver to preserve its crumbling narrative against Morocco.

A meeting of phantoms: The April embarrassment

The theatrical reception came at a time when Morocco displayed genuine regional leadership. King Mohammed VI hosted foreign ministers from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger in Rabat, while Tebboune was relegated to welcoming a figurehead who resides in Algeria itself. The contrast highlights an undeniable gulf in diplomatic influence.

The regional dynamics have shifted dramatically against Algeria. Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, once diplomatic partners, have pivoted towards Morocco, expressing appreciation for the King’s interest in their regional issues. This realignment reached a critical point in early April when these countries recalled their ambassadors from Algiers following a confrontation between Algerian forces and a Malian drone.

While Algeria flounders, Morocco's Royal Atlantic Initiative continues to gain momentum. Announced by King Mohammed VI, this infrastructure project aims to create a transformative economic corridor linking the Dakhla Atlantique port complex to the Sahel, delivering tangible benefits that Algeria's empty rhetoric fails to match.

From recognition to designation: Polisario’s terminal decline

As Algeria clings to its separatist proxy, influential voices in Washington are increasingly calling for the designation of the Polisario as a terrorist organization. Congressman John Wilson reaffirmed America’s commitment to Morocco’s territorial integrity while highlighting Polisario’s troubling ties to terrorist networks.

The evidence against the Polisario mounts, with American political figures recognizing its connections to jihadist groups and its role in arms smuggling. A recent analysis by the Hudson Institute has exposed the Polisario as a destabilizing militia rather than a liberation movement, detailing its involvement in arms trafficking and alignment with Iran’s strategic agenda.

This potential designation could fundamentally alter the dynamics of the Sahara conflict, forcing traditional supporters of the Polisario, such as Algeria and South Africa, into a precarious position. The diplomatic fallout would be catastrophic for Algeria’s already tarnished international standing.

The human toll: Algeria’s brutal treatment of Sahrawis

The situation within the Tindouf camps is deteriorating. Reports from the Sahrawi Association for the Defence of Human Rights indicate a recent massacre of Sahrawi civilians by Algerian forces, leading to widespread protests. The Polisario leadership's silence regarding these atrocities further erodes its credibility among the camp population.

Ramadan Massoud Larbi, President of ASADEDH, condemned the violence, noting that increasing calls for a return to Morocco reflect a significant shift in the convictions of many Sahrawis. They now see joining Morocco as the only viable solution to their suffering.

In response, the Sahrawi Movement for Peace has demanded UN intervention to safeguard civilian refugees and has expressed a desire to participate in the political process regarding Western Sahara, positioning itself as a legitimate voice for a segment of the Sahrawi population.

The final gasp of a failed strategy

As Morocco secures international recognition for its sovereignty, Algeria’s reception of Ghali appears as a regime grasping at straws. Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita’s diplomatic efforts have solidified the kingdom’s dominance, garnering support from over 100 UN member states, including key Security Council members.

The absurdity of Algeria’s situation is highlighted by the fact that Ghali, who claims to lead a sovereign state, resides under the watchful eye of Algerian authorities. This contradiction underscores Algeria's failure as it remains mired in a self-defeating strategy of antagonism.

The international community has made its judgment. Morocco’s autonomy proposal has emerged as the only viable path forward, while Algeria’s continued embrace of a phantom leader only serves to highlight its profound loss in this prolonged struggle. The question now is not if, but when Algeria will recognize the geopolitical realities that the world has already accepted.