In a significant move amidst ongoing diplomatic tensions, Morocco has officially appointed a new consul general, Mohamed Al-Hassani Al-Idrissi, in the city of Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. This appointment is part of a broader initiative by the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and African Cooperation, which recently designated nearly twenty new consuls across various locations in Europe, America, Asia, and the Maghreb region. The initiative aims to rejuvenate the Moroccan consular staff and enhance the quality of services provided to Moroccan citizens living abroad.
The decision to appoint a consul in Sidi Bel Abbes is particularly noteworthy given the strained relations between Morocco and Algeria, which have been characterized by a formal diplomatic rupture since August 2021. Nonetheless, the consular services continue to function normally, with Morocco maintaining three consulates in Algeria located in Algiers, Oran, and Sidi Bel Abbes. These consulates primarily focus on offering administrative services to Moroccan citizens residing in Algeria, including the issuance of official documents, renewal of identification papers, and consular assistance in emergency situations.
Analysts suggest that the ongoing consular operations reflect a pragmatic approach, indicating that there are operational channels that exist independently from the political impasse. This arrangement ensures that basic administrative communication remains intact to protect the interests of citizens and avoid any institutional vacuum that could adversely impact the communities residing in both nations. This necessity for practical communication has been underscored during various crises, such as the exceptional repatriation of Moroccan prisoners from Algeria, which was facilitated through the reopening of the Gougou crossing multiple times despite its formal closure for several years.
On the flip side, Algeria also maintains its consular representations in Morocco, specifically in Casablanca and Oujda, where these consulates continue to serve the Algerian community residing in the Kingdom. This ongoing cooperation in consular affairs occurs within the same framework of preserving operational continuity despite the lack of official diplomatic relations.
The official acknowledgment of this peculiar situation was reaffirmed by former Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra, who emphasized that even following the severance of ties between the two countries on August 24, 2021, the consulates would remain operational and continue to fulfill their duties for the benefit of their respective expatriate communities.
As reported by thevoice.ma.
