Algeria’s Diplomatic Isolation: From the Spark of Colonial Memory to a Growing Rift in Regional and International Alliances
Algeria now finds itself caught in a circle of diplomatic isolation, marked by successive setbacks on multiple fronts since its crisis with France erupted and its ties with several Sahel nations frayed.
The spark was reignited when the colonial‑memory file resurfaced: remarks by French officials about the period of occupation stirred sharp sensitivities in Algiers, which responded with tough measures—reducing visa quotas for French citizens and suspending several channels of cooperation—driving tension between Algiers and Paris to unprecedented heights.
As the dispute deepened, the climate of strain spread to several Sahel states, which blamed Algeria for what they saw as insufficient support in confronting terrorist groups that threaten the region’s stability. In the Maghreb neighborhood, relations with Tunisia and Morocco were likewise strained; Algeria’s stance on the Western Sahara issue further widened the rift with its neighbors.
Internationally, Algeria now struggles to weave solid alliances, depriving it of the backing once reliably provided by strategic partners such as Washington and Brussels, and diminishing its weight on the global stage. Economically, the drop in oil and gas prices—the backbone of Algeria’s economy—has intensified both internal and external pressures.
Against this backdrop, the urgent task is to recalibrate both foreign and domestic policies to avoid deeper isolation and to regain regional and international influence through constructive compromises with partners and neighbors.
