Djibouti recently hosted a meeting between parliamentary officials from Algeria and Morocco in Istanbul, Turkey. The event, part of Djibouti's ongoing parliamentary diplomacy efforts, aimed to foster dialogue between the two North African nations, whose bilateral relations have been strained for decades.
The talks were held on the sidelines of a conference organized by the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC). Djibouti's Speaker of the National Assembly, Dileita Mohamed Dileita, acted as a mediator, bringing together the heads of the foreign affairs committees from the Algerian and Moroccan parliaments.
Discussions reportedly focused on regional issues of common interest and the potential role of parliamentary dialogue in easing tensions. The meeting did not result in any formal agreements but was characterized as a positive step in maintaining communication channels.
The Algeria-Morocco relationship has been marked by deep political disagreements, primarily over the status of Western Sahara. Direct diplomatic relations were severed by Algeria in 2021. Djibouti's initiative represents a continued, though limited, effort to bridge the divide through legislative engagement.
