Moroccan King Mohammed VI congratulated the elected Algerian President Abdel Majid Taboun and called on him to open a new page in the relations of the two countries on the basis of mutual trust and constructive dialogue.
"After your election as President of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, it gives me great pleasure to express to you my sincere congratulations coupled with my best wishes for your success in your lofty duties," the King of Morocco said in a telegram sent to the elected Algerian President.
The borders between Morocco and Algeria have been closed since 1994, amid political differences between the two countries, most notably the Western Sahara issue.
The conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front over the Sahara began in 1975, after the Spanish occupation ended its presence in the region, to turn into an armed confrontation between the two sides, which ceased in 1991 with the signing of a cease-fire agreement sponsored by the United Nations.
Rabat proposes expanded autonomy under its sovereignty, while the Polisario calls for a referendum for self-determination, a proposal backed by Algeria, which is home to tens of thousands of refugees from the region.
Last Friday, the Independent Electoral Authority of Algeria announced that former Prime Minister Abdel Majid Taboun won the presidential elections from the first round with 58.15% of the vote, outpacing his four rivals.