The silence surrounding Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf\u2019s participation in the Madrid negotiations is not merely a procedural detail; it reflects a carefully calculated strategy to navigate a politically delicate moment. For the first time in decades, Algeria faces a new reality: moving from the role of an \u201cexternal supporter\u201d to that of an active participant at the negotiation table on the Sahara issue.<\/p>\n
Since news of the session at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid emerged, Algeria has maintained complete silence, both officially and in the media, despite tangible signs confirming its direct involvement. Chief among these was Attaf\u2019s meeting with his Spanish counterpart Jos\u00e9 Mar\u00eda \u00c1lvarez on the eve of the negotiations\u2014an encounter that cannot be separated from the broader political context.<\/p>\n
Attaf\u2019s arrival in Madrid followed preparatory steps, including his meeting in Algiers with Massad Boulos, senior advisor to the U.S. President on Africa and the Arab world. At the time, few details about this trip were disclosed. It later became clear that it was part of the arrangements leading to Algeria\u2019s practical participation in the negotiations, based on Morocco\u2019s updated autonomy proposal, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2797.<\/p>\n
The official and media silence surrounding Attaf\u2019s trip deliberately conceals a broader context, gathering four parties: Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, and the Polisario Front, under direct U.S. supervision, with the personal UN envoy Stefano de Mistura present. This quiet approach aims to prevent domestic public shock, accustomed to a discourse of Algeria as an \u201cobserver\u201d supporting the principle of self-determination without direct involvement.<\/p>\n
Though confidential, the negotiations adhere to the framework set by Security Council Resolution 2797, adopted on 31 October 2025, which calls on all parties to resume talks without preconditions, in a spirit of realism and compromise. Algeria\u2019s presence, despite its silence, constitutes an implicit acknowledgment of its real role in the conflict.<\/p>\n
The choice of Madrid, under explicit U.S. sponsorship, is deliberate. Washington signals that the Sahara dossier is no longer merely a regional dispute but a key element in North African and Sahel security and stability, amid growing challenges such as terrorism, irregular migration, and international geopolitical competition.<\/p>\n
Resolution 2797 itself marks a decisive turning point, moving from fragile balance management to a realistic political framework, establishing Moroccan autonomy as the only credible solution. This new approach marginalizes outdated positions and underscores international commitment to negotiations based on Morocco\u2019s plan.<\/p>\n
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— \u0627\u0644\u062e\u0627\u0631\u062c\u064a\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0623\u0645\u0631\u064a\u0643\u064a\u0629 (@USAbilAraby) February 9, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n