The UK could be close to recognising Morocco's Sahara status

Last week, Israel took a step that could - and apparently will - mark the next moves of many countries on the geopolitical chessboard. Tel Aviv recognised the Moroccan ownership of the Sahara, marking a turning point in Middle Eastern relations. And it is precisely this fact that, according to diplomatic sources consulted by Le 7 TV, could make the UK the next country to recognise Morocco's authority over Western Sahara.

The country led by Rishi Sunak has already taken the decision to support the autonomy plan for Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty. The same media outlet points to the decision handed down by the London Court of Appeal in May 2022, which declined the request to annul the association agreement between Morocco and the UK, established on 20 December 2020, as a symptom of what could now be confirmed as support for Morocco in this matter. The request, made by non-governmental organisations supporting the Polisario Front, was rejected, hinting at a British position that could now be enshrined.

There is another aspect to consider in this context. The United Kingdom, a strong partner of the United States, sees how another of the Americans' closest allies, Israel, has stepped forward and endorsed the recognition of the Moroccan status of the Sahara, as Washington had already done through the Abraham Accords. At that time, even with Donald Trump still in the White House, a new geopolitical scenario opened up that is now causing new sequels in what is a major reconfiguration of relations in the region.

Since leaving the EU, the UK has begun to forge closer ties with new allies, Morocco being one of them. Rabat and London signed a series of economic and trade agreements that were intended to help mitigate the consequences that leaving the EU could have on British coffers. One of the sectors on which they have focused their efforts is renewable energy, on which Morocco is investing heavily and through which it aims to consolidate its position as a regional leader.

And these ties, far from having remained there, have continued to strengthen in recent times. This can be seen in the submarine cable project that aims to link the United Kingdom with Morocco in what would be the longest line of its kind in the world. The idea is to transfer electricity from Moroccan soil to the island, which, if all goes according to plan, would be a major step forward in bilateral relations between the two countries.

It is one of the many reasons pushing the Sunak government towards the foreseeable recognition of the Moroccan status of the Sahara. It would be in addition to the aforementioned US and Israel, as well as some like Spain, which unilaterally changed its position on this issue a little over a year ago. The UK would take a key step forward and consolidate its ties with Morocco through one of the issues that mark the Kingdom's foreign policy, Western Sahara.

UK Coordinator: José Antonio Sierra