The border dispute between Morocco and Algeria began shortly after Algeria's independence, with Morocco demanding that Algeria honor an agreement to negotiate the colonial-era borders. However, Algeria's President Ben Bella rejected negotiations, leading to strained relations and the armed conflict known as the Sand War, which eventually ended with a ceasefire mediated by the Organization of African Unity (OAU).
In 1699, Morocco's Sultan Moulay Ismail reportedly proposed marriage to Louis XIV's daughter, sparking a diplomatic mystery that continues to captivate historians and romantics alike.