NATO calls Algeria a security risk for Europe in a confidential report

In a confidential NATO situation report earlier this week, the military alliance assessed gas supplies from Algeria as a security risk for Europe.

The assessment is driven by threats made by Algeria at the end of April to stop gas supply to Spain if Madrid sold Algerian gas to other countries, after a statement by the Spanish government in which it announced that it intended to supply gas to Morocco via the Gaz Maghreb Europe (GME) pipeline.

“But for NATO, the case is clear: the report specifically states that there is a risk that Algeria, like Russia, would use its gas supplies as a means of exerting political pressure. This would also pose a risk to Europe’s political and economic resilience. In the long term, this jeopardizes Algeria’s status as an energy supplier for Europe,” wrote Business Insider. 

Gas normally flows through the GME (Gaz Maghreb Europe) line from Algeria to Spain via Morocco. However, after cutting diplomatic ties with Rabat in November 2021, Algeria had decided to shut supply through the GME pipeline, which links Spain to Algeria via Morocco.

The decision deprived Morocco of Algerian gas, and Spain currently receives the Algerian gas through the Medgaz line, which doesn’t cross Morocco.

Despite Spain’s heavy dependence on Algerian gas, Madrid has radically changed its position regarding the Western Sahara conflict and supported Morocco’s Autonomy Plan.

Earlier this month, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune described Spain’s stance on Western Sahara as “morally and historically unacceptable.”

“We have very strong ties with Spain, but the head of government broke everything,” Tebboune said to local news outlets.

To protest against the Spanish shift, Algeria also recalled its ambassador from Madrid, saying that the Algerian authorities were “very surprised by Spain’s statements.”