The Algerian Minister of the Interior, Ibrahim Mourad, made an unexpected official visit to Spain, marking the first visit by an Algerian official since Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's decision to support the autonomy proposal for the Sahara in March 2022. The Algerian Ministry of the Interior announced in a statement, «Minister of the Interior Ibrahim Mourad is making an official visit to Spain on February 24 and 25, at the invitation of his Spanish counterpart Fernando Grande-Marlaska». According to the ministry, the visit «will provide an opportunity to discuss bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest». Previously, Algeria had recalled its ambassador to Spain, suspended the friendship treaty, and ordered Algerian banks to halt transactions with Spain. In response to Spain's position on the Sahara issue, Algeria appointed Abdel Fattah Daghmoum as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Madrid in November 2023, citing signals from Madrid that suggested a possible shift in its support for Morocco in the Sahara dispute. With this visit, Algeria seems to have abandoned the conditions it had set for normalizing relations with Spain. Algerian officials had previously stated that a return to the status quo would depend on Spain offering «prior clarifications» regarding its change in stance on the Western Sahara issue. Spain remains firm in its position on the Sahara, with officials reaffirming their support for the Moroccan autonomy proposal as the only solution to the conflict. Algeria's efforts to restore ties with Spain come amid its strained relations with France, which has also chosen to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara.
