Algeria closes airspace to Morocco, RAM not concerned

Algeria has closed its airspace to all Moroccan aircraft, civilian and military alike, effective September 22, 2021, as tensions between the two North African countries escalate.

Following a meeting of the High Security Council, Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said the move was “in view of the continued provocations and hostile practices on the Moroccan side”. He did not provide any specific details concerning the allegations. On August 24, Algiers broke off all diplomatic relations with its western neighbour before recalling its ambassador from Rabat. The decision nullified plans by Royal Air Maroc to resume flights between Casablanca Int’l and Algiers in mid-September 2021.

The Moroccan flag carrier has said the closure of Algerian airspace would not significantly affect its operations, with flights on around 15 routes forced to take a slightly more circuitous route over the Mediterranean. While the decision covers all Morocco-registered aircraft which, in practice, really only affects Royal Air Maroc.

Algeria has accused Morocco of supporting the self-determination movement in Kabylia, a region in northern Algeria home to the ethnically-Berber Kabyle group, and backing arsonists leading to devastating forest fires in August. The stand-off is also implicitly linked to Morocco’s decision to normalise ties with Israel in late December 2020, a move staunchly opposed by Algeria. While the recent escalation is notable, it is a part of a historically tense relationship that Morocco and Algeria have had since their independence from France in 1956 and 1962 respectively. During the Cold War, the countries aligned with opposing blocs – Morocco allied with the US while Algeria was closer to the Soviet Union. Algeria has also been the strongest supporter of the self-determination movement in Western Sahara, a territory still considered a Spanish colony by the United Nations but claimed and largely occupied by Morocco since 1975. The land border between Algeria and Morocco has remained closed since 1994.