King Mohamed VI wasted no time in defending Western Sahara as “the main cause of all Moroccans” against European justice, which canceled fishing and agricultural agreements with Morocco for failing to obtained the consent of the Sahrawi population nor consulted its representative. , the Polisario Front.
In his speech addressed to both Chambers on the occasion of the start of the parliamentary term, Mohamed VI thanked Spain on Friday for having focused on its Moroccan autonomy plan from 2022, which includes Western Sahara as well as the southern provinces, marketing its products as clean, despite the resolution of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).
In Morocco, it is considered that “the sentence contradicts the support of European countries for the sovereignty of the Kingdom over the Sahara“. The monarch also expressed words of gratitude to the countries that support the Moroccan autonomy plan as a solution to the conflict with Western Sahara, including Spain.
For this Maghreb country, the only way to achieve a definitive solution to the Sahara is the autonomy initiative within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty: what President Pedro Sánchez defended in the letter addressed to Mohamed VI on March 14 2022.
In this line of collaboration, the Spanish government has expelled this month to Morocco dozens of Sahrawis who had requested asylum at Barajas airport, although he has the documents proving his origin and the UNHCR’s recommendation to authorize him to enter Spain to complete his stateless application. Since Thursday there are none left, they have been sent on different flights to Marrakech.
Hence also the words of Mohamed VI in the Parliament of Rabat dedicated to our country. He emphasized that “The friendly state of Spain is well aware of the ins and outs of this issue (from Western Sahara) and whose position has deep political and historical significance. He expressed his “immense consideration for their positions in defense of our main national cause” to “all these friends” who support them.
He also expressed his gratitude to “all countries that develop economic and investment activities with the southern provinces of the Kingdom (Western Sahara), considering them as an indivisible part of the national territory.”
That is to say, they use Western Sahara as a Moroccan province to strengthen “their position as an axis of communication and exchange between Morocco and its African depths”.
Mohamed VI recalled that in the socio-economic development carried out on the Sahrawi territory, “continental strategic initiatives come into play, such as the Morocco-Nigeria gas pipeline project, the Africa-Atlantic initiative, in addition to the initiative which allows the access of Sahel countries to the Atlantic Ocean“.
Indeed, countries, like Spain, which support the neighboring country, which offers it investments and business opportunities in the projects it carries out with African countries, will benefit from all this. Once again, it is postulated as the gateway between Europe and the United States with Africa.
Rabat years ago launched a quiet diplomatic effort to attract foreign investors to Western Sahara with the aim of setting up consulates and recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over the natural resource-rich territory.
The latest to join the list was the Republic of Chad, which inaugurated the chancellery in Dakhla on August 14. Thus, a total of 29 countries have opened consulates in Western Sahara. The majority are African and Arab countries, but they have also established diplomatic headquarters, for example. Guatemala, Haiti and Suriname.
For its part, European opposition to Morocco’s sovereignty claims over Western Sahara has diminished in recent years, partly because of the increase in trade between Morocco and Europe, but also because of the position previous American. The states of the Arab League and the African Union have also aligned themselves with this Maghreb country.
Rabat sees this as recognition of its sovereignty and in exchange offers economic advantages to the establishment of multinationals exploiting the territory’s natural resources. “The development of the city is accelerated (…) and makes it possible to attract investments, create employment opportunities and promote economic development. The Moroccan Sahara region is an important commercial crossroads and a south-south cooperation hub. It is the link between Morocco and its African depth,” declared Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
However, the decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union constitutes a setback for Morocco’s diplomatic work, as it positions itself alongside the Sahrawis and the Polisario Front.
Big setback
The decision did not sit well with Rabat. On the cover of the latest issue of the weekly As is Minister Nasser Bourita and Josep Borrell, Vice-President of the European Commission and High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs, appear on a tractor and a boat, representing the agriculture and fisheries agreements between the EU and the Morocco and title: “Touched, but not sunk“.
In the review they assess the consequences, they propose other countries to which to export products from Western Sahara with a Moroccan label, such as Russia (which will now be able to fish in its waters, where Spanish fishing boats usually do ) ; and they emphasize that The European far right mobilizes in favor of Morocco.
In fact, they announce that a meeting will take place in Strasbourg on Monday 14 during which the sentence will be discussed. For example, the French MEP of the National Assembly Thierry Marianiwho will participate, declared: “I cannot detail the program, but I am counting on the defense of Morocco.”
The Alawite monarch dedicated Friday’s speech entirely to the cause of national unity to strengthen the position of occupation of Western Sahara. Since his accession to the Throne in 1999, “I have said on the question of our territorial integrity that we would move from the stage of management to another stage of change, both internal and external, in all dimensions of this file”. he recalled before both Chambers.
Next step
Likewise, he called for “moving from an approach based on reaction to one based on taking initiative, dressing in determination and foresight.” On this basis, they worked for years “with tenacity and patience (…) using all available means and possibilities, in order to make known the correctness of the position of our country as well as our legitimate historical rights to our Saharadespite a difficult and complex international context.
Despite the achievements made, “the next stage requires greater mobilization and vigilance from all of us to continue to strengthen the position of our country, by making known the justice of our cause and confront the maneuvers of our enemys,” declared Mohamed VI.
To this end, he urged all Moroccan institutions and bodies, both official parties and political parties and civil society, to “explain the foundations of the Moroccan position to the few countries which continue to go against the logic of truth and history, working in the direction of truth. his persuasion with the legal, political, historical and spiritual evidence and arguments which confirm the legitimacy of the Moroccan identity of the Sahara.
