historical relations between France And Morocco They are going through a turbulent time. While the North African country has not had an ambassador in the French capital for nearly two months, criticism of the French government is growing exponentially in Rabat. position on Western sahra and the European Parliament has been very critical of the Moroccan kingdom with the decision taken in January. The French authorities are reluctant to acknowledge this secret diplomatic crisis, despite obvious disagreements between Paris and Rabat.
“Relationships they are not friendly or goodA Moroccan government source told the French magazine Jeune Afrique in early March that “between the two governments, as well as between the Royal Palace and the Élysée,” they assured. With these words, they responded to the will of the president. Emmanuel Macron To downplay this blatant diplomatic standoff when he was asked this question at his press conference at the end of February to detail his strategy on Africa.
Christophe Lecourtier, France’s ambassador to Morocco, denied there was a diplomatic crisis, but “misunderstandings and even minor turbulences”In an interview with the Saudi newspaper Lord News. French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna expressed her desire to “appease” before the commission of the National Assembly.
Actually, Macron had a plan. visit to morocco at the end of last year but first it was delayed to the first quarter of this year and then it was said that it won’t be done until the end of April at the latest. There is currently no official confirmation on the exact date or whether this relocation will include a meeting with the government. King Mohammed VI, Although it is hard to imagine that the French presidency would accept an official visit without meeting with his counterpart. The last Spanish-Moroccan summit, the first high-level summit in eight years, has already sparked some controversy due to the monarch’s absence.
‘Qatargate’ and visas
These turbulences are caused by other structural problems as well as some cyclical problems. Not surprisingly, Moroccan authorities are very upset that a resolution in the European Parliament was passed on January 19th, which sharply criticized their country for the jailing of journalists and is concerned about corruption charges against Rabat within the framework of the conspiracy.Qatar gate‘Containing a branch allegedly Moroccan.
From the same day, Moroccan Ambassador to Paris dismissed and they still haven’t named another one. This is not a coincidence, because from the other side of the Mediterranean, they point to the Elysée for this decision because of the weight of Stéphane Séjourné, Member of the European Parliament, who heads Macron’s party, within the group of liberals. European Parliament.. The French president said about the text approved in Strasbourg, “An act of the French government? No”.
Ties between the French and Moroccan governments had already blurred after the French administration’s decision in September 2021. cut visas in half The Moroccan people were granted the right to travel to French territory. A measure taken in response to Rabat’s reluctance to accept the deportation of Moroccan migrants to its territory in an irregular situation. Although the French Administration eventually renounced this controversial visa restriction, these relations eroded.
Western sahra
“Both countries maintained a very close relationship in the early 2000s. But that has changed and each now has more autonomy,” author historian Pierre Vermeren told this journalist from EL PERIÓDICO in the summer of 2021. book Le Maroc in 100 questions: a royaume of paradoxes. The pupil of France’s Morocco in the Maghreb and VI. The days he saw as heaven between Mohammed and his “real brother” Jacques Chirac are long gone. Moroccan elites, to President François Hollande and now to Macron, reconciliation with Algeria.
Rabat is pressing Paris to follow in the footsteps of the USA and Spain and to recognize Europe. Western sahra as a Moroccan region. But France opposes it. It does this not only to respect United Nations resolutions, but also to avoid upsetting the Algerian authorities. While French diplomacy in recent years has focused on a delicate balance of focusing its efforts on Algeria in the hope that it will not affect relations with Rabat, Morocco has emerged as a new power. regional power, which does not hesitate to act defiantly to the European powers, which are a priori allies. This is what happened to the espionage activities of the Moroccan secret services. Pegasus The cell phone of Macron and perhaps Sánchez.
This embedded diplomatic crisis between Paris and Rabat comes at a time when French influence in Africa is waning. More and more African leaders are challenging the authorities of their former colonies. And a country with many ambitions like Morocco cannot be an exception.