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After the French Minister of Foreign Trade, Frank Riester visited Morocco last week, the Moroccan Foreign Minister flew to France, making yet another step towards Paris’ recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara.
«I said there (on February 26 in Rabat, editor's note) that we have recognized the fact that Morocco is developing this area economically. We've even gone a step further, since we're going to bring in public operators to develop it with them», stressed Stéphane Séjourné in an interview with France 24 and RFI last night.
Last week in Casablanca, Minister Riester announced that «Proparco, the private-sector subsidiary of Agence Française de Développement (AfD), could help finance a high-voltage line between Dakhla and Casablanca». These statements were immediately condemned by the Polisario and Algerian media.
«As far as the diplomatic issue is concerned, this will be managed and settled between the two Heads of State. I have no announcement to make to you today», said the French Foreign minister. Rabat and Paris have yet to set a date for the long-awaited summit between King Mohammed VI and President Emmanuel Macron.
Praise for Morocco's role in the Sahel
This economic recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara was accompanied by the Foreign minister's praise for the Kingdom's policy in the Sahel. On December 23 in Marrakech, Mali, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso signed up to the initiative launched on November 6, 2023 by King Mohammed VI to facilitate access by Sahel countries to the Atlantic ocean. An influence that France hopes to use to reconcile with its former colonies.
Responding to a question about «possible Moroccan mediation» between Paris and the countries in the region that have turned their back on France, Stéphane Séjourné pointed out that «Morocco is becoming an assertive regional power and should even enable a form of regional organization and stability». He went on to praise the Kingdom's initiatives in the region. «They are welcome», he said, but «it's up to Moroccans to decide on their agreements. I believe they have the will on their side to forge links with their Sahelian neighbors», he asserted.
The French Foreign minister received his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, in Paris on Tuesday April 9. «The momentum created by my recent visit to Morocco continues today with a working session with my counterpart, Nasser Bourita. The relationship between France and Morocco is unique!», said, enthusiastically, Stéphane Séjourné on X.
The statements by the head of French diplomacy are likely to arouse ire in Algeria and in the Tindouf camps.
