For the new German government, led by the Social Democrat Olaf Scholz, improving and strengthening ties with Morocco has become a priority. Gone are the days when relations between Rabat and Berlin were characterised by discord and tension. Now, both countries have agreed to foster a new dialogue to overcome the misunderstandings of the past.
This pact to strengthen ties has been personalised with the Moroccan Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita, and his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, who held a video call to discuss this issue and others of common interest.
Bourita's ministry announced in a statement that the two sides determined to "breathe new life into bilateral relations with their special quality in all fields, in a spirit of harmony, mutual respect and efficient policies". In addition to fixing the problems of the past, Bourita and Baerbock have pledged to "deepen the multifaceted bilateral relations".
This new form of cooperation between Rabat and Berlin "will include all fields and will involve all actors", as the Moroccan ministry pointed out. The note also stresses that, in the coming weeks, "the general lines aimed at renewing and deepening dialogue and partnership in the face of regional and global challenges will be defined".
This virtual meeting comes two months after the Moroccan diplomat, Zehour Alaoui, returned to Berlin to carry out her duties as ambassador to the country. Rabat recalled its representative in Germany for consultations in May in response to "hostile acts" by the German government on the Western Sahara issue. Germany, unlike other countries such as the US, rejected Morocco's proposal for the region, which caused tensions with Rabat.
However, with the coming to power of the new chancellor, Scholz, Berlin expressed its interest in resuming diplomatic relations with the Kingdom. Bourita, for his part, stressed that German-Moroccan ties should be based on 'clarity and reciprocity'.
One of the first foreign policy decisions taken by Scholz's government was to back Morocco's proposal for the Sahara, a point that Baerbock's ministry considered 'key to resolving the conflict in the region'. The head of German diplomacy also praised Rabat's fundamental role in the North African region, "politically, culturally and economically". For this reason, the Alawi kingdom is a "key partner of the European Union and Germany", Baerbock added.
The German ministry also alluded to Morocco's "important role" in Libya, a key aspect to underline since Berlin had previously tried to exclude Rabat from the peace process for Libya.
Following the path of understanding and harmony, the Moroccan monarch, Mohammed VI, has congratulated German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on his re-election for a second five-year term. The Alawite sovereign stressed "Morocco's desire to breathe new life into the relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries, within the framework of mutual esteem and full respect for the constants and specificities of the two countries, to serve the common interests of the two nations".
Mohammed VI also referred to Morocco and Germany as "two friendly peoples who contribute to strengthening security, stability and prosperity in the Euro-Mediterranean area".
This message based on cordiality and friendship follows the one sent by Steinmeier to the Alaouite king at the beginning of January. At that time, the German president invited Mohammed VI to the country with the aim of sealing "a new partnership between the two countries".
On the other hand, as did the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Steinmeier backed Morocco's autonomy plan for the Sahara, describing it as "a credible effort and a good basis for an agreement". He also applauded the "innovative approaches in the fight against climate change and energy transition" developed by Rabat.
