Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune will make a state visit to Spain in October 2026 at the invitation of King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Spanish newspaper El Independiente reported Friday, citing diplomatic sources.
The visit is expected to mark a further step in the gradual normalization of relations between Madrid and Algiers after years of diplomatic tensions, with energy, migration and security set to feature prominently during the talks.
Relations between the two countries reached a low point in 2022, when Algeria suspended its 2002 Treaty of Friendship and froze trade ties following Spain’s decision to support Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara, according to El Independiente.
The thaw has progressed since then and was marked by Sánchez’s visit to Algiers on July 20, 2026, the first visit by a Spanish official of his rank since the crisis began. During the visit, the two sides agreed to hold a high-level meeting in October — the first since 2018 — and to step up political, security and migration dialogue.
Energy and economic cooperation are expected to be at the center of Tebboune’s visit, with Algeria remaining Spain’s largest gas supplier. Following the July meeting, the two countries agreed to increase exports through the Medgaz pipeline by around 10% and double liquefied natural gas (LNG) deliveries by tanker, the Spanish newspaper reported.
Migration is also expected to feature prominently. Frontex has described the so-called “Algerian route” as highly attractive to illegal migration networks, with irregular arrivals in Spain rising by 24%. While managing migration flows is a shared priority, the arrest in Spain of Algerian opposition figure Ayoub Aissiou, who was imprisoned shortly after Sánchez’s visit, has added another point of tension to the relationship.
The renewed rapprochement between Madrid and Algiers is also unfolding against the backdrop of the Ceuta migration crisis, which “triggered a new crisis with Morocco,” according to the publication. Some analysts have linked the pressure at the border to the closer relationship between Spain and Algeria.
Madrid is seeking what El Independiente describes as “variable geometry” through Tebboune’s state visit: maintaining a functional relationship with Rabat without becoming overly dependent on a single partner, while strengthening Algeria as a strategic ally.
Tebboune’s appearance alongside King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is expected to symbolize the end of the diplomatic chill between Madrid and Algiers. Despite continuing frictions, including the Ceuta crisis and the case of the imprisoned Algerian opposition figure, Spain is seeking to establish what it sees as a necessary balance in the Maghreb to secure its gas supplies and contribute to regional stability, the Spanish newspaper concluded.
