Moroccans mock Algeria’s decision to impose a visa: “It will stop us from enjoying Algeria’s beautiful beaches!”
On Thursday, September 26, Algeria announced its intention to impose a visa requirement for Moroccans entering its territory. This announcement quickly sparked ironic reactions from Moroccans on social media.
“What a shame! This will prevent us from enjoying Algeria’s idyllic beaches, tasting the local cuisine, and admiring the incredible wealth of a country rich in gas and oil,” many Moroccan netizens humorously commented in response to Algeria’s new policy.
A flight attendant, active online, added sarcastically: “I’ve been a flight attendant for 20 years and have never met anyone who wants to visit Algeria.” Many view this decision as unnecessary, even trivial.
The Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the “immediate reinstatement” of a visa regime for “all foreign passport holders of Moroccan nationality.” Algeria accuses Morocco of exploiting the visa exemption to deploy foreign intelligence agents into the country to carry out actions that threaten Algeria’s stability and national security.
Since the severance of diplomatic relations between the two countries in August 2021, distrust between Algiers and Rabat has only grown. This new visa measure adds to a long list of tensions, including disputes over Western Sahara and Morocco’s alleged support for the separatist Movement for the Autonomy of Kabylia (MAK), considered a terrorist organization by Algiers.
While some support the decision, calling it “logical and consistent with current policy,” the majority of Moroccan reactions appear to mock this imposition. The land borders between the two nations have been closed since 1994, and air travel remains suspended. Will Morocco respond by imposing a visa requirement on Algerian citizens? So far, Rabat has not issued an official response.
