Algeria will not renew a contract for gas supplies to Spain via Morocco, but will continue exporting through a pipeline across the Mediterranean, an informed source told Sputnik
ALGIERS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th September, 2021) Algeria will not renew a contract for gas supplies to Spain via Morocco, but will continue exporting through a pipeline across the Mediterranean, an informed source told Sputnik.
Morocco is currently being supplied with natural gas via the Maghreb-Europe pipeline, which connects Algeria with Spain. In late August media reported that Algeria would divert all its shipments bound for Spain away from this pipeline, after the relevant contract for gas exports to the country expires on October 31.
"There will be no extension of the contract," the source said.
Algeria plans to meet the needs of the Spanish market through another pipeline, Medgaz, which links Algeria to Spain through the Mediterranean.
In August, Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra announced that his country had decided to break off diplomatic relations with neighboring Morocco due to what he called the kingdom's "relentless hostile acts." Rabat, in turn, called this decision "unjustified and regrettable" and promised to remain a "credible and loyal partner" to the Algerians.
Relations between Algeria and Morocco have been strained for 40 years due to the conflict in Western Sahara. Morocco considers the former Spanish colony as part of its territory, while Algeria supports the independence of Western Sahara.
