Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez arrived in Algiers on Monday seeking to consolidate Spain's restored ties with Algeria while reaffirming a diplomatic relationship rebuilt without any reversal of Madrid's support for Morocco's autonomy initiative for the Sahara, according to Spanish media.
The visit comes after years of tensions sparked by Spain's 2022 endorsement of Rabat's autonomy plan, a position Algeria had hoped Madrid would abandon but which the Sánchez government has consistently maintained.
Sánchez traveled to Algeria directly from New York, where he attended Spain's World Cup final victory over Argentina, before holding talks with Algerian Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb, meeting Spanish business leaders, and later sitting down with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
Spanish public broadcaster RTVE reported that Tebboune congratulated Sánchez on Spain's World Cup triumph, with the Spanish leader presenting the Algerian president a Spain national team jersey bearing his name and the number 26 to commemorate the country's second world title.
Spanish officials view Monday's meeting between Sánchez and Tebboune as confirmation that bilateral relations have returned to normal, even as Madrid continues to back the Moroccan initiative as the basis for resolving the Sahara dispute, Spanish media reported.
Energy security remains the central focus of the visit. Algeria supplies roughly one-third of Spain's natural gas, and Madrid is seeking to increase imports through the Medgaz pipeline and liquefied natural gas shipments amid uncertainty surrounding maritime routes in the Middle East.
Sánchez was accompanied by Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares and Ecological Transition Minister Sara Aagesen, while executives from Spain's leading energy firms joined the delegation to discuss expanded gas supplies, renewable energy cooperation and new investment opportunities, according to RTVE.
