Amidst heightened diplomatic tensions, Algerian authorities have declared Morocco’s Vice-Consul General in Oran, Khalifa Cheikhani, persona non grata, ordering his expulsion within 48 hours.
The Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs cited “suspicious behavior” deemed “unworthy of his position” and contrary to Algerian law and diplomatic conventions, including the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, as justification for the expulsion. However, specific details regarding the alleged offenses were not disclosed.
This move, occurring against the backdrop of severed relations between Algiers and Rabat since August 2021, threatens to escalate existing tensions. Algeria frequently accuses Morocco of “hostile acts,” particularly concerning the Western Sahara issue.
Observers suggest that the expulsion of a senior consular representative, without a detailed explanation, signals a potential further deterioration in relations between the two nations, at a time when regional hopes for de-escalation were being considered.
MK/te/fss/abj/APA