Algeria, which boasts Africa’s second biggest gas reserves, said it would stop gas deliveries to Spain if Madrid transferred it to a “third destination.” The warning follows a recent decision by Spain to provide gas to the North African nation’s neighbor and regional rival, Morocco.
“Natural gas delivered to Spain, whose destination is none other than that provided for in the contracts, will be considered as a breach of contractual commitments,” the Algerian Energy Ministry said on Wednesday.
Such a move by Madrid “could result in the termination of the contract between Sonatrach and its Spanish customers,” it added.
Sonatrach is Algeria’s state-owned gas company, which supplied more than 40% of Madrid’s natural gas imports in 2021.
The threat contradicts last week’s statement by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who assured “the Spanish people that Algeria will never abandon its commitment to supply Spain with gas under any circumstances.”