Brexit : A British delegation in the Sahara to discuss new agreements with Rabat

The United Kingdom is intending to play a decisive role in finding a solution for the Western Sahara conflict. Leaving the European Union allows the country to stand on its own and distance itself from Brussels. The British Minister of State for the Middle East, Alistair Burt, also met Saturday in Munich, during the Munich Strategy Forum, Horst Kohler.

After holding talks with the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy, the British official tweeted saying that the «UK fully supports UN-led process to achieve a lasting and mutually acceptable political solution».

Useful exchange with UN Secretary General’s Personal Envoy to Western Sahara, Horst Köhler. UK fully supports UN-led process to achieve a lasting and mutually acceptable political solution @MunSecConf pic.twitter.com/1hDoHPTmpD

— Alistair Burt (@AlistairBurtUK) 17 février 2018

A more courageous position that can serve the Moroccan side, when compared to that adopted by London regarding the conflict before Brexit.

Morocco is part of the British post-Brexit plan

«At the Munich Strategy Forum, Alistair Burt met also with his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita», said a source to Yabiladi. This was their second meeting in the last three weeks after the one held in Rabat on January the 26th.

Responding to whether London is willing to mediate between Rabat and Kohler, the same source denied such an eventuality. Nevertheless, it insisted that the British government is trying to conclude a trade agreement with Morocco before officially leaving the European Union, a step expected on March the 29th, 2019.

After this date, UK’s fishing trawlers will no longer have the right to fish in the Moroccan waters. Russia, and under a protocol signed on March 15, 2016 during King Mohammed VI’s visit to Moscow, is fishing in the Atlantic Ocean without facing problems.

In the Moroccan capital, Alistair Burt met with the Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries, Aziz Akhannouch, and Tourism, Mohamed Sajid. On February the 9th, the Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mounia Boucetta, received in Rabat the special envoy of the British Prime Minister for Trade with Morocco and Tunisia, Andrew Murrison.