Algerian Ambassador in Nouakchott Dismissed After Morocco-Mauritania Rapprochement
In a move reflecting the tension within Algerian authorities, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the figurehead president under the control of the military junta, abruptly dismissed Algeria’s ambassador to Mauritania, Mohamed Benattou, last Tuesday. After three years of service, the representative of Algiers in Nouakchott was unceremoniously replaced by Amin Said, a diplomat little known to the public.
This sudden decision comes barely a week after the historic visit of Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani to Rabat, where he met King Mohammed VI. Analysts see this meeting as a decisive step toward a strengthened strategic partnership between Mauritania and Morocco, signaling strong diplomatic and economic alignment in a region where Algeria struggles to maintain influence.
A Blow to the Algerian Junta:
This abrupt dismissal reveals a state of panic at the top of the Algerian state. For decades, the military junta has pursued a strategy of obstructing any rapprochement between Rabat and Nouakchott. However, this new diplomatic momentum between Morocco and Mauritania undermines years of Algerian efforts to divide its neighbors. Benattou’s dismissal is a tacit admission of Algeria’s weakness after losing a major diplomatic battle to Morocco.
Algerian military officials, worried about the impact of this rapprochement on the Moroccan Sahara issue, fear a new regional reality that would further isolate Algeria. It’s no secret that Algiers has based its entire foreign policy on staunch opposition to Morocco’s sovereignty over its Saharan provinces. The possibility of a stable and prosperous Mauritania-Morocco alliance directly threatens Algeria’s maneuvers in the region.
The Decline of Algerian Influence:
It is becoming clear that Algerian diplomacy is crumbling under the weight of successive failures. Unable to compete with Morocco’s dynamism, particularly in investment and regional integration, Algiers resorts to desperate measures to mask its weaknesses. Mauritania, aware of Algeria’s stagnation, now prefers tangible cooperation with Rabat focused on the future.
El Ghazouani’s visit to Rabat is seen as a sharp response to Algerian provocations and a significant step toward sustainable economic integration between Morocco and Mauritania. This is evidenced by the signing of multiple bilateral agreements in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of the UAE President, covering strategic sectors such as energy and security.
The Erosion of Algeria’s Grip on Mauritania:
The hegemonic ambitions of Algeria’s military junta are now confronted by a Mauritania asserting its independence and strengthening ties with Rabat. The Algerian regime, mired in internal struggles and growing unpopularity, appears unable to contain this accelerating regional dynamic in Morocco’s favor.
The dismissal of Mohamed Benattou is part of a series of changes reflecting the chronic instability of Algerian foreign policy. This move, far from being a mere diplomatic reshuffle, reveals a loss of direction that becomes more apparent with Morocco’s rising prominence on the regional stage. The panic within the Algerian military junta reflects an undeniable reality: the future of the Maghreb is being shaped today with Rabat, not Algiers.
Source: Le7tv
