France renews support for Morocco over Western Sahara
France has reaffirmed their support for Morocco in their claims to sovereignty over the Western Sahara.
As reported by Saudi news agency Asharq Al-Awsat on April 16th, the Foreign Minister of France, Jean Noel-Barrot released a statement following a meeting with his counterpart in Morocco, Nasser Bourita, in which he declared his unwavering support for Moroccan sovereignty in the Western Sahara.
Barrot’s statement stressed that France has “clear and consistent support for the autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty” going on to say that it is “the only framework within which this issue should be resolved.”
The statement from Barrot underlines the belief of French President Emmanuel Macron who sent a letter to King Mohammed VI of Morocco on the 30th July 2024 in which he expressed his support for their sovereignty claims.
Despite the fact that Morocco enjoys wide international support on the issue with Oman also recently reaffirming their support, the issue is not without controversy.
Algeria is an ardent supporter of the rights of the Polisario Front, a political group that represents the native Saharawi people who claim that the region belongs to them.
The dispute has caused major political turmoil between Algeria and Morocco but has also caused problems between Algeria and their former colonising power, France.
The issue of the Western Sahara has spilt over into other areas of French-Algerian diplomacy, leading to a period of unprecedented disruption between the two countries.
A visit to the Western Sahara by a French minister in February of this year led Algeria to describe their behaviour as showing “contempt” for international law.
According to the United Nations, the Western Sahara is a “Non-Self-Governing Territory” however along with France, major international players such as the United States and Spain have supported Morocco’s sovereignty claims.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also recently reaffirmed his support for Morocco in the region.
Asharq Al-Awsat, Maghrebi
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