In a recent high-stakes diplomatic meeting in Cairo, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi delivered a pointed rebuke to Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, underscoring Egypt’s firm stance on national sovereignty and stability in the Arab world, including the Sahara issue.
Tebboune’s visit had aimed to secure Egyptian support for Algeria’s position against Morocco’s territorial sovereignty over the Sahara. Far from securing such support, Al-Sissi’s response, citing Egypt’s policy of non-interference and stability, was a major diplomatic setback for Algeria further isolating the Algerian regime on the issue.
While Tebboune tried to sway Egypt into aligning with Algeria’s pro-Polisario stance, Al-Sissi’s firm support for respecting “national sovereignty and boundaries” was a clear message that Egypt would not compromise its principles.
In an apparent attempt to curb Morocco’s rising influence, Tebboune’s approach failed to account for Egypt’s own priorities, as that nation deals with security challenges in the Sinai Peninsula and seeks to avoid escalations that could undermine its own stability. Observers remarked that Al-Sissi delivered a veiled rebuff to Algeria’s ongoing efforts to rally regional actors against Morocco, further underscoring Cairo’s alignment with Rabat on key issues.
Algiers’ backing of the Polisario Front has been costly both financially and diplomatically to the country, especially as Morocco increasingly gains international support for its sovereignty over the Sahara. The U.S. recognized Morocco’s sovereignty in 2020, followed by Spain in 2022 and France in 2024, strengthening Morocco’s position and further isolating Algeria.
Al-Sissi’s comments not only highlight Egypt’s distinct strategy but also point to a broader Arab consensus that stability and development take precedence over divisive issues. The Egyptian president’s declaration has been widely interpreted as a rejection of Algeria’s push for anti-Moroccan sentiment on the Sahara issue, leaving Tebboune with little to show from his visit.
His diplomatic failure exposes Algeria’s weaponization of the Sahara issue as a primary foreign policy tool, a strategy that now faces diminishing returns as more Arab and international actors acknowledge Morocco’s sovereignty.
Egyptian media and political analysts applauded Al-Sissi’s firm stance, interpreting it as a timely affirmation of Egypt’s commitment to sovereignty and non-intervention. Many observers in Egypt see the alignment with Morocco as mutually beneficial for both economic and security reasons, a position increasingly shared across the Arab world.
Algeria’s fixation on the Sahara conflict has drawn criticism for its singular focus, which now risks further isolating the country. While Morocco strengthens ties with countries such as Egypt, Algeria’s rigid stance may limit its influence in broader regional dynamics, particularly as other Arab nations prioritize internal stability over external disputes.
Al-Sissi’s rebuke underscores the limits of Algeria’s policy of confrontation, a message likely to resonate across the Arab world as nations navigate a complex landscape of alliances, economic pressures, and security challenges.
Ultimately, Al-Sissi’s direct stance on the Sahara issue and Morocco’s sovereignty reflects a broader consensus emerging within the Arab League, one that may leave Algeria recalibrating its diplomatic approach.
As Algeria faces growing challenges to its policy on the Sahara, the Cairo meeting is a reminder of the changing tides within the Arab world, underscoring the benefits of a cooperative, sovereignty-respecting approach amid complex geopolitical realities.