Marruecos y los países del Golfo continúan avanzando en sus relaciones

Since the launch of Morocco's new 'Arab policy' - promoted by the current Alawite monarch, King Mohammed VI - in 2011, the Maghreb country has gradually distanced itself from the Arab League as a whole, focusing its diplomatic efforts on strengthening relations with the member states of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC).

An example of this was the meeting held by videoconference between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Resident Abroad, Nasser Bourita, and the Secretary General of the GCC, Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf. During the meeting, the two representatives discussed issues relating to the strategic partnership between the Kingdom and the organisation, and highlighted the achievements made so far in the framework of this cooperation.

In this line, the Moroccan minister reaffirmed his thanks to the Gulf countries, to whom he acknowledged their great solidarity with regard to the Saharawi conflict. During the final declaration of the Supreme Council, on 14 December last, at the 42nd session of the GCC in Riyadh, Falah Al-Hajraf declared that the member states of the organisation support the Moroccan Sahara, and defend the "territorial integrity" of the Maghreb country. 

For his part, as stated in a statement issued by the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs after the meeting, the GCC Secretary General commended Rabat's gratitude in reaffirming these supports - in a regional conflict that the organisation has described as "artificial" - and praised the country's stance on the national problems facing the Gulf monarchies. In addition, Falah Al-Hajraf has expressed enthusiasm for further strengthening relations with Morocco.

This enthusiasm was reciprocated by the Alawi minister, who expressed Rabat's willingness to continue working towards a new phase of qualitative cooperation with the region. Moreover, as quoted by Rue.20 on the Moroccan Ministry's press release, Nasser Bourita has invited the GCC Secretary General to visit the country on a date to be determined. 

Bourita also took advantage of the situation to reject Iranian intrusion in the internal affairs of GCC countries and to condemn, once again, the attacks perpetrated by the Houthi group - and its supporters - against the installations and citizens of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. In this regard, the Alawi Kingdom has reaffirmed its position in the Yemen conflict. This support for the Saudi-Emirati side is in line with King Mohammed VI's vision, as expressed during his royal speech at the Morocco-Gulf Summit in April 2016, when he stated: 'I have always considered that the security and stability of the Gulf countries are inseparable from the security of Morocco'. 

Relations between the GCC and the Kingdom of Morocco first solidly materialised at the Morocco-Gulf Summit held in Riyadh in 2016.  This meeting inaugurated a 'grouping of Arab monarchies' with the aim of fostering new dynamics of multidimensional and strategic partnership between the two regions, and was followed by the visit of the Alawite King to several Gulf countries to demonstrate his sense of fraternity. This has hinted at an almost total break with the Arab republics. 

During the conference, the GCC member states pronounced for the first time since 1975 on the Saharawi question and its solution of a broad autonomy for the territory under Moroccan sovereignty. At a press conference of the Saudi and Alawi foreign ministers - Adel al-Jubeir and Salehedin Mezouar, respectively - the Riyadh official affirmed that the Gulf countries "support the fact that the Sahara belongs to Morocco and support the autonomous government initiative presented by Morocco as a basis for any solution to this regional conflict".

Tensions between Rabat and the Saharawi territory have been in constant flux over the past few years, and questions of sovereignty remain unanswered. More than twenty countries now recognise the Moroccan sovereignty of the Sahara, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

Now, despite Rabat's rejection on paper of the proposal to join the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf in 2011, in practice the Kingdom and the organisation have continued to develop their strategic and cooperative ties.