Algerian-Spanish Relations Warm as PM Arabawi Attends Global Development Summit in Seville

Watan-In a sign of a positive shift in relations after a deep diplomatic crisis, Algerian Prime Minister Nadir Arabawi traveled to the Spanish city of Seville to participate in the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, representing Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed Arabawi’s participation, noting the event will run from June 30 to July 3, 2025.

The conference aims to address critical issues surrounding development financing, particularly evaluating the implementation of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda that supports the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also seeks to generate collective proposals to bridge financing gaps and enhance development efforts.

This visit marks the highest-level Algerian delegation to Spain since 2022, the year bilateral ties deteriorated after Madrid backed Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara—a position strongly opposed by Algeria, which supports the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination and hosts thousands of Sahrawi refugees.

Following that decision, Algeria withdrew its ambassador from Madrid and suspended the 2002 Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborliness, and Cooperation with Spain. The Algerian presidency at the time condemned Spain’s move as a violation of its legal, political, and ethical obligations as the former colonial power and current administrative authority over the region until the UN declares the decolonization of Western Sahara complete.

However, relations have started to thaw in the past two years. In late 2023, Algeria reappointed an ambassador to Madrid, while Spain’s ambassador in Algiers began actively re-engaging, particularly in economic sectors. Analysts say Algeria also appreciated Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s strong support for a Palestinian state amid the Israeli war on Gaza and his renewed emphasis on a UN-led political solution in Western Sahara.

Even after the return of ambassadors, ties remained somewhat cool until the first real diplomatic breakthrough came during a meeting between Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf and his Spanish counterpart José Manuel Albares on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Johannesburg in February 2025. Both sides pledged to deepen relations.

President Tebboune also referred to Spain as a “friendly country” during his congratulatory message to Algerian novelist Yasmina Khadra, who was honored in Spain—another sign of improving ties.

This thaw opened the door to a series of rapprochements, most notably a visit by Interior Minister Brahim Merad to Spain on February 24–25 at the invitation of his counterpart Fernando Grande-Marlaska. Merad was accompanied by the heads of Algeria’s national police and civil protection agencies. The visit focused on enhancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

On the economic front, relations have made significant progress, with Spanish companies resuming exports to Algeria and increased exchanges between economic stakeholders. Two official Algerian delegations visited Spain in early 2025 following more than two years of stagnation.

• The first visit, in late February, was led by Omar Rekkache, head of Algeria’s Investment Promotion Agency. His delegation visited several Spanish cities under the “Partnership for Sustainable Investment” project, launched by Algeria’s Foreign Ministry with EU support.

• Meetings were held with business leaders and chambers of commerce in Valencia, Castellón, and Alicante, in addition to a workshop in Barcelona on Algeria’s investment climate. Rekkache presented recent economic reforms and incentives for foreign investors in energy, industry, agriculture, and services. The Spanish side responded positively, viewing it as a promising step toward economic normalization.

• The second visit, with a focus on economic and technological cooperation, occurred on March 2, when Minister of Post and Telecommunications Sid Ali Zerrouki participated in an African ministers’ meeting in Barcelona, ahead of the Mobile World Congress. His speech emphasized artificial intelligence as a key driver of African development and called for joint standards on AI adoption.

• Zerrouki also held high-level bilateral meetings discussing digital infrastructure, mobile financial services, and prospects for Africa’s digital transformation.

Together, these developments reflect a gradual but strategic restoration of Algerian-Spanish relations, driven by shared geopolitical interests, economic cooperation, and evolving diplomatic tone.