Kagame Embarrasses the Military on Their Own Turf: The Sahara is Moroccan and “Firm Neutrality” Undermines Algeria’s Calculations

Aldar / Analysis

In a highly unusual political scene on Algerian soil, Rwandan President Paul Kagame delivered a powerful diplomatic blow to Algeria’s ruling military regime by explicitly refusing to include any reference to the Moroccan Sahara issue in the final communiqué of his official visit.

This bold stance threw Algerian authorities off balance, as they had been counting on exploiting the visit to promote their usual separatist rhetoric.

Kagame, known for his astuteness and firm character, once again demonstrated that he is not a leader who can be swayed by outdated ideological agendas or obsolete geopolitical schemes. He chose instead to maintain a position of “firm neutrality” and clearly rejected involving his country in a fabricated conflict that serves neither Africa’s interests nor Rwanda’s vision of building genuine partnerships based on development and stability, not on fueling disputes.

Kigali’s silent yet firm response dealt a heavy blow to Algerian diplomacy, which had expected to at least extract verbal support from the prominent African leader for its anti-Moroccan stance. But this expectation crumbled in the face of Kagame’s cool-headed strategic calculations, which prioritize African development above all else and view national unity as a non-negotiable principle.

While Algeria’s military leadership was trying to present itself as a “regional supporter of just causes,” this episode reveals a stark failure to grasp the political shifts underway across the African continent. Nations and peoples are increasingly rejecting alignment with regimes that squander their wealth on futile conflicts instead of investing in cooperation, economic development, education, and technology.

Kagame’s position adds to a growing list of setbacks suffered by the Algerian regime in Africa, where numerous countries have withdrawn or frozen their recognition of the so-called “Polisario Front.” It has become clear that this entity does not represent the will of the Sahrawi people but is merely a tool Algeria uses to serve its expansionist agenda and pressure its neighbors.

The greatest irony lies in the fact that the military regime, which markets itself as a champion of “self-determination,” does not hesitate to suppress freedoms at home and silences any dissenting voices, whether inside the country or within the broader Maghreb region. This double standard has become a source of ridicule on the international stage, as President Kagame’s sovereign stance clearly highlighted.

Algeria emerged from the visit with a cold and lifeless statement, devoid of any political victory or explicit support. Kagame, on the other hand, left with his head held high, having delivered a lesson in sovereignty and political realism to the military regime. He reaffirmed that the era of trading in African causes is over, and that the new Africa must be built on clarity and partnership—not empty slogans.