On October the 12th, Brahim Ghali invited the Security Council to let MINURSO organize a referendum in Western Sahara. Two days later, Bachir Mustapha Sayed commented on Ghali’s statement, criticizing the MINURSO’s work.
Two days after the Catalan independence referendum, King Felipe VI of Spain accused the regional government of Catalonia of «violating the constitution» of the country and undermining «the harmony and coexistence in the Catalan society». On the other side of the Meditteranean, the king’s speech was welcomed by Moroccan officials as he insisted on unity and national sovereignty.
Authorities could not prevent thousands of Catalans from taking the streets and voicing their choices. Catalan officials said that 90 % of those who voted supported independence in yesterday’s vote. In the Maghreb region, the referendum of Catalonia almost went unnoticed. As Morocco showed support for Madrid, Algiers and the Polisario Front remained silent in an embarrassing way.
The 2017 Catalan Independence Referendum set for the 1st of October is very important to Morocco. Hundreds if not thousands of Moroccans living in the region will have to take part of this decisive event. How do Moroccans living in Catalonia perceive the referendum ? Are they for the independence of the region ? Two questions among others that Yabiladi asked Mohamed Chaib, a politician, community actor, and a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party. Chaib was the first MP of
Unsurprisingly, Morocco supports the position of the Rajoy government hostile to the referendum in Catalonia. A position announced by Minister Mustapha El Khalfi.