Les frères ennemis: Europe’s balancing act between Morocco and Algeria

Summary:

Algeria and Morocco share much in terms of language, religion, history and ethnic identities, but they also share a sometimes fierce rivalry for power and influence that is now playing out at the African Union. The Western Sahara question is at the heart of contemporary tensions between Morocco and Algeria, but the roots of this rivalry run deeper, rooted in very different founding myths of the nation state and post-colonial ideologies.

In this commentary the author suggested that Morocco’s ascension to the African Union’s Peace and Security Council in January 2018 was an important indication of its rising influence on the African stage. But the EU overlooked Morocco’s rival Algeria at its peril.

Both Morocco and Algeria were likely to continue to play an important role in Africa going forward. The EU, and it member states, should thus continue to position themselves as useful partners and interlocutors for both.