Albares' cancelled Algeria visit drags two-year long diplomatic crisis

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares’ planned state visit to the Algerian capital on Monday was called off at the eleventh hour, with no explanation provided by his team for the sudden change, according to Spanish news outlet El Pais.

“Albares’ official visit to Algiers is postponed due to the Algerian agenda,” was the only official communication regarding this matter.

The news outlet, citing diplomatic sources, reported that “the Algerian government canceled Albares’ meeting with President Abdelmajid Tebboune at the last minute, a meeting which was not officially included in the official program but assumed by the Algerian press. There is no date set for a future visit.”

According to El Confidencial, the Algerian President’s busy schedule prevented a meeting with the Spanish head of diplomacy, as the media cites Algerian officials as a source. “As a response, Albares chose not to travel to Algiers.”

However, Algerian media have another say on Albares’ canceled visit. Algerian media outlet Echorouk reported that “the arrangements for Minister Albares’ visit continued until late Sunday evening. Because the preparatory process failed to yield conclusive results, organizing the visit for the agreed-upon date was not feasible.”

Spanish State media agency EFE assures, quoting diplomatic sources that this is but a rescheduling, adding there is “a real will” to plan a new meeting between both country representatives.

The planned visit was highly anticipated, as parties undergo a lagging diplomatic rift that has been dragging on for almost two years, sparked by Algiers’ decision to cut ties with Spain due to the latter’s shift in stance over the Moroccan Sahara.

Albares’s visit also sought to convince Algeria to lift trade barriers with Spain, as requested by affected entrepreneurs and businesses.

Diplomatic sources highlighted that the minister prioritizes Spanish companies’ interests, but “full reconciliation will have to wait.”

Spain and Algeria have seen improvements in their relations recently, appointing Abdelfetah Daghmoum as Algeria’s ambassador to Madrid in November. 

Also, air traffic has increased to 25 weekly flights, with the number expected to expand to 28. Algeria resumed importing Spanish poultry products on January 14 and red meat on February 5, despite an ongoing boycott on other imports.