France to finance Morocco’s Sahara power link

France-Morocco relations improve after France prepares to finance a power link between Morocco and Western Sahara, according to Reuters on 26th April.

France – the largest foreign investor in Morocco – will participate in funding the 3 gigawatt power cable that will link Casablanca to Dakhla.

“We are ready to participate in funding this project,” French Finance Minister, Bruno Le Marie told a Moroccan-French business forum in Rabat.

READ: Algeria denounces planned French investments in Western Sahara

Franco-Moroccan relations have been seen to improve as Mr Le Maire and Morocco’s Minister of Economy and Finance, Nadia Fettah Alaoui met to exchange views for furthering industrial cooperation between the two countries.

Mr Le Maire told Le Matin that “the economic relationship between Morocco and France is dynamic and unique.”

However, Morocco continues to seek recognition from France as the true sovereign over the highly disputed Western Sahara.

Mr Le Maire declared that France was willing to participate in developing wind, solar, clear and green hydrogen power. The AFD – a French development agency would offer a 350 million euro loan towards Morocco’s decarbonisation push, as it deals with phosphates and fertilisers giant OCP.

During a visit to Rabat, France’s Foreign Minister, Stephane Sejourne confirmed that France backs Morocco’s investments and Rabat’s autonomy plan for the Western Sahara. Until 2022, France had invested 82 billion euros into Morocco.

While Morocco has claimed Western Sahara as its southern province, the country’s neighbouring rival, Algeria backs the Polisario Front – who seek an independent state.

Recently, the Western Sahara separatists protested against the power cable between Casablanca and Dakhla and declared that France’s financing of Moroccan projects is “a dangerous escalation of France’s hostile stance towards the Sahrawi people.”

The US officially recognised Morocco’s sovereignty after Morocco commenced ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords.

Reuters/Atalayar