Balancing Political Allies: Russia Walks a Diplomatic Tightrope Between Algeria and Morocco
Russia is walking a fine line in North Africa, as it strives to preserve strong ties with both Morocco and Algeria. Two regional powers whose deep-rooted rivalry now tests Moscow’s diplomatic finesse.
On one hand, the Kremlin continues to bolster its long-standing alliance with Algeria through defense contracts, gas projects and shared security interests. On the other, Moscow has recently signaled warmer relations with Morocco, notably by supporting Rabat’s Sahara Autonomy Plan and signing a new fisheries agreement that deepens economic cooperation.
Human and cultural dimensions are also at play here. Both countries see themselves as gateways between Africa, Europe and the Arab world; and Russia’s presence influences local perceptions of power, security and sovereignty. Businesses in tourism, trade and energy increasingly feel the tremors of this diplomatic dance, weighing opportunities against uncertainty.
Politically, Moscow’s strategy exposes the fragility of multi-directional diplomacy in a world where alliances are shifting fast. Socially, it highlights how far-reaching the consequences of negotiations from a distance can be, impacting from family livelihoods in coastal towns to national pride, shaped by foreign recognition.
In trying to remain friends with both sides, Russia may gain short-term influence but would face the longer-term risk of alienating one of North Africa’s giants, and turn a delicate partnership into a precarious balancing act, on the edge of geopolitical fracture.
