Relationship dossier
Algeria
Morocco
Relationship assessment
A longstanding rivalry over Western Sahara, compounded by a closed land border and a 2021 diplomatic rupture.
Algeria toward Morocco
-75Algeria supports the Polisario Front in the Western Sahara dispute. In 2021, Algeria severed diplomatic relations with Morocco and closed its airspace to Moroccan aircraft, escalating an already severe bilateral confrontation.
Morocco toward Algeria
-75Morocco claims sovereignty over Western Sahara and has proposed autonomy under Moroccan rule, opposing Algeria's support for the Polisario Front. Morocco's position on the dispute remains a central source of conflict with Algeria.
Overall relationship
-75The relationship is shaped by sustained strategic rivalry, especially over Western Sahara, and by the closure of the land border since 1994. Algeria's 2021 severance of diplomatic relations and airspace closure further entrenched the confrontation; no comparable durable bilateral cooperation offsets these features.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Algeria and Morocco have a longstanding, severe rivalry centered on Western Sahara and regional influence. Algeria supports the Polisario Front, while Morocco claims sovereignty over Western Sahara and proposes autonomy under Moroccan rule. The land border has been closed since 1994. Algeria severed diplomatic relations in 2021 and closed its airspace to Moroccan aircraft, deepening the confrontation.
Areas of tension
- Western Sahara's status and Algeria's support for the Polisario Front
- The closed land border and associated bilateral restrictions
- Diplomatic rupture and restrictions on Moroccan aircraft
Key developments
Morocco closed its land border with Algeria.
Algeria severed diplomatic relations with Morocco.
Algeria closed its airspace to Moroccan aircraft.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of any bilateral security or diplomatic contacts after the 2021 rupture are unclear.
- The extent of informal economic and consular arrangements across the closed land border is unclear.