Algeria has indicated a potential shift in its decades-long position on the Western Sahara dispute, according to diplomatic sources. This change comes after intensified pressure from the United States, which has been pushing for a resolution to the conflict.
The Western Sahara conflict, a territorial dispute between Morocco and the Polisario Front (backed by Algeria), has been ongoing since the 1970s. The United States, under the Trump administration, recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in 2020, a position maintained by the Biden administration.
Algeria's new posture, described as 'unprecedented' by analysts, may involve reconsidering its support for the Polisario Front's demand for a referendum on independence. The shift is seen as a response to US diplomatic efforts to stabilize the region and counter other influences.
No official statement has been released by the Algerian government as of May 27, 2026. The situation remains fluid, with potential implications for North African geopolitics and the ongoing UN-led peace process.
