Western Sahara: France reaffirms its support for Moroccan plan

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot met with his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, on the sidelines of the World Nuclear Energy Summit outside Paris, as reported by the Moroccan government-friendly Atalayar on March 11th.

The meeting focused on bilateral relations between France and Morocco and also included discussions of the ongoing Western Sahara negotiations led by the Trump administration, as well as the current US-Israeli war on Iran and its impact on Middle Eastern states.

France has sided with Morocco on Western Sahara, backing the Moroccan plan and UN Security Council Resolution 2797, also known as the Moroccan Autonomy Plan, which recognised it as “the most feasible plan”.

Under these plans, the disputed region would remain under Moroccan sovereignty, but would have a degree of autonomy with its own parliament and regional leader.

The French position led to a breakdown in relations with Algeria in July 2024, prompting both countries to recall their ambassadors and expel diplomats.

Algeria and the Polisario Front separatist militias demand a referendum on the Moroccan autonomy plan and have expressed concerns that the indigenous Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination is being undermined.

However, both have attended the meetings held in Madrid and Washington, seemingly under pressure from the Trump administration, which has described resolving the longstanding conflict as a priority.

Barrot reaffirmed France’s support for the Moroccan plan, which has greatly evolved over the last few months as Morocco has refined its proposal, and he saluted the restart of negotiations after years of stalemate.

France is also investing in several projects aimed at developing the region; the French Agency for Development has announced investments totalling hundreds of millions of euros, underscoring that it sees the Moroccan autonomy plan as creating a stable and safe environment for long-term investments and partnerships.

Finally, both ministers also called for the organisation of a 15th High-Level meeting between France and Morocco, consolidating Morocco’s position as France’s favoured partner in the Maghreb.

Atalayar, Diplomatice.gouv.fr, Maghrebi.org