France highlights Morocco's role in the future of Africa
France is very aware of Morocco's important role in the present and future dynamics of Africa, and very important partnerships between the two countries are planned for the future.
Emmanuel Macron, the French President, once again underlined this position by highlighting ‘the global partnership for the future’ that he signed with King Mohammed VI during his three-day state visit to Rabat last October.
The French President stressed that this Franco-Moroccan partnership will profoundly benefit the African continent. Emmanuel Macron stressed, during his annual meeting with foreign ambassadors accredited in Paris, that France places relations with the Maghreb countries at a very important level in its diplomatic strategy on the African continent, referring to his recent visit to the Moroccan kingdom during which an ‘unprecedented’ strategic partnership was signed, including several productive sectors.
Western Sahara as a key issue
Both the French President and King Mohammed VI sealed an ‘exceptional renewed partnership’ during a state visit that came at the invitation of the Alaouite monarch, made after the French Republic recognised Morocco's Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara as the most serious and credible option for settling the Sahrawi dispute after almost five decades of conflict following the end of the Spanish colonial era.
During the state visit in Rabat, the two heads of state expressed their common ambition that this new partnership between France and Morocco should reflect the depth of the relations between the two countries, rooted in history, and the exceptionally rich human and cultural ties that have formed the basis of their friendship and cooperation for several decades.
In addition to the shared desire to capitalise on the achievements and complementarities of the partnership in order to project them irreversibly into a new phase, in strategic sectors that respond both to the transformations in the two countries and to the changes in the regional and international context. Together with their desire to provide Franco-Moroccan relations with a global, stable and lasting strategic framework, through a robust and forward-looking partnership, sustained at the highest level of each of the two States, involving all its components and deployed in a concrete, dynamic and innovative manner, to respond to the aspirations of present and future generations.
They also showed their determination to act as strategic partners in all areas, notably political dialogue, economic partnership and human exchanges, and their recognition of the valuable contribution of local authorities, representative institutions, economic operators, youth and civil society, as well as Moroccans living in France and French people living in Morocco.
This ‘renewed exceptional partnership’ between Morocco and France enables the two countries to better respond to all the challenges they face by mobilising all relevant sectors of bilateral, regional and international cooperation. All of this opens a new phase with this new improved relationship between France and Morocco, bringing to an end a turbulent period of political and diplomatic disagreements, which had as its backdrop France's equidistant stance on the Western Sahara issue. The French position was aimed at not upsetting Algeria, which is opposed to the integration of the Sahrawi territory into the Moroccan state and which advocates the holding of a referendum on independence for the Sahrawi population, supporting the postulates of the Polisario Front, Morocco's great enemy.
The French president, during his official visit to Rabat, pointed out before the Moroccan Parliament that the present and future of Western Sahara fall within the framework of Morocco's sovereignty over the disputed territory, considered by the Moroccan kingdom to be part of its southern provinces. This made clear the French support for the Moroccan kingdom.
Morocco has a strong position on the international stage and strong support from many countries on many issues, including Western Sahara. Many important countries, such as the United States, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, France and even Spain support the Moroccan autonomy proposal as the most serious, realistic and credible way to settle the Saharawi conflict. Meanwhile, the postulates of Algeria and the Polisario Front have less international backing.
Morocco proposes a broad autonomy for Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty, respecting the resolutions of the United Nations (UN), with the aim of granting the Saharawis a large measure of self-government, leaving foreign and defence policy in the hands of the Moroccan state, and also with the challenge of developing the territory to the maximum in all senses of the word.
This Moroccan proposal would favour the development of this important African territory. In addition, the North African country also proposes the African Atlantic Initiative, a proposal that aims to favour access to the Atlantic Ocean for various African nations, especially those of the Sahel, through the Moroccan Atlantic coast, including the Sahara. This scenario would favour the economic and commercial development of these nations. This would also be a strong boost for the African continent.
Recovering France's position in Africa
According to Emmanuel Macron's recent statements to ambassadors, the partnership between France and Morocco is aimed at the future of Africa, through a group of joint Franco-Moroccan projects on the continent that will also serve to further promote continental development.
As analyst Mohammed Al-Tayyar told Al-Arab, the French president linked the partnership between the two countries to its impact on Africa, confirming that France, whose role on the continent has diminished significantly, is betting in its new strategy adopted on the African continent on a strengthened relationship with Morocco to preserve its interests and presence, especially after the deterioration of its relations with the African countries of the Sahel and with most African countries, at a time when Morocco was able to reinforce its presence on solid foundations based on reliability, credibility and constructive cooperation.
France had lost support in its former African colonies, such as Mali and Burkina Faso, where a strong anti-French sentiment has been aroused and where other nations such as Russia and China have gained more economic and political weight.
Now, the French Republic can consolidate a better geopolitical position with Morocco, which plays an important role in Africa, both politically and economically.