Spain proposes joint NATO meeting for Morocco and Algeria

The Spanish government wants to bring Morocco and Algeria together at the next session of NATO foreign ministers, scheduled for the end of the year. Iberian media report that Madrid has also proposed inviting Israel, Jordan, Mauritania, Tunisia, and Egypt.

The Spanish initiative seeks to encourage the dialogue launched in recent years with partners outside NATO. The final declaration of the military organization's July 2024 summit in Washington, D.C., stated in Resolution 32 that «NATO's southern neighborhood offers opportunities for cooperation on issues of common concern. Through our partnerships, we intend to promote security and stability in the Middle East and Africa, and thus contribute to peace and prosperity in the region».

It is worth noting that the Chairman of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer, visited Morocco from April 28 to 30. The visit was preceded by a stopover in Algiers.

Morocco joined the military organization's interoperability platform in 2016. Since then, it has had a liaison officer at Alliance headquarters. In 2000, Algeria joined the Mediterranean Dialogue set up by NATO with its partners on the southern shore of the Mediterranean, including Israel.

Morocco was invited by the Biden administration to take part in the last NATO summit in Washington in July 2024. The same invitation was extended to Algeria. However, the Spanish proposal is causing concern in Algeria. A local media outlet wrote, «Spain is seeking to involve Algeria in a high-level NATO meeting». The Moroccan and Algerian armies are participating in exercises organized by the Atlantic Alliance.