Algeria–Spain relations

Spain and Algeria were once controlled by several pre-medieval empires like the Roman Empire or the Arab Caliphates.

In early 16th century, the Spanish Empire and the Ottoman Empire engaged to exert control over Algeria. Spain captured in 1510 the rock of Algiers and held it for brief spell before being expelled by Hayreddin Barbarossa in 1529.

The Spanish Monarchy exerted control of Oran (1509–1708; 1732–1792) and the neighbouring port of Mers El Kébir for much of the early modern period.

The Francoist dictatorship officially recognized Algeria as a sovereign state in 1962 and proceeded to appoint an ambassador.[2] Spain's bilateral relations with the Algerian republic, which were not good during Francoism,[3] would later experience a crisis in 1977–1978, when Algeria—cut off from the 1975 Tripartite Madrid Accords on the transfer of the administration of Western Sahara—came to provide instrumental support to the Canary Islands Independence Movement,[4] as well as to Sahrawi nationalism.[5]

The two countries signed a treaty of friendship, good neighbourliness and cooperation on 8 October 2002 in Madrid.[6][7] The two states cooperate on anti-terrorism issues.[6] The triangular balance between Algeria, Morocco and Spain influences the Spanish position on the conflict of Western Sahara; Algeria is committed to the referendum on self-determination, while calling for a stronger commitment from Spain on this on the basis of the latter's "historical responsibility".[8]

Both countries reinforced ties in 2013.[9] Algeria and Spain positioned themselves as important partners in 2015,[10] remaining linked "with strong relations" as of 2017.[11]

Consulate-General of Algeria in Barcelona