France’s Endorsement of Morocco’s Sahara Autonomy Plan: A Diplomatic Milestone

Saturday 03 August 2024 - 12:40

In a recent interview with French media outlet Europe 1-CNews, Moroccan Ambassador to France, Samira Sitail, expressed her approval of France’s recent endorsement of Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for Sahara. This significant shift in France’s stance regards the Moroccan proposal as the primary framework for resolving the enduring conflict.

“We can only rejoice at this substantial evolution of France’s position, knowing that it does not come out of nowhere,” Sitail remarked.

She highlighted that Morocco had introduced its Autonomy Plan back in 2007, a plan that France had supported from the outset. “What is new today is that France’s support for Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces is now considered the only basis for settling the dispute,” the ambassador clarified.

Sitail emphasized that this development aligns perfectly with France’s consistent support for Rabat in this conflict since at least 2007. She recalled, “When Morocco put forward this autonomy proposal, the first country to welcome it at the time was obviously France.”

The ambassador also pointed out that Morocco had, as early as 1982, suggested a referendum to resolve the dispute. However, this option proved unfeasible due to disagreements over the electoral body. “Morocco’s adversaries included people who are not from the southern provinces in this electoral body. Therefore, the electoral body could not be identified,” Sitail explained.

She further noted that even the United Nations, through the personal representative of the UN Secretary-General, Peter van Walsum, had declared in 2008 that the option of an independence referendum was unrealistic.

The timing of France’s announcement of its new stance on Sahara is noteworthy, coinciding with the Throne Day celebrations, a significant event for Moroccans. Sitail explained that the decision resulted from a lengthy process of discussions that began in October 2023, when she was appointed ambassador to France.

“We checked all the necessary boxes, starting with trust, and put a number of topics on the table to renovate our partnership and make it something exceptional,” Sitail added.

In addressing Algeria’s reaction to France’s recognition, which included recalling its ambassador from Paris, Sitail highlighted an apparent inconsistency. “Why didn’t Algeria sever diplomatic ties or recall its ambassador to the United States when Washington recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces? I will just ask this question,” she said.

The ambassador also provided historical context for the dispute, noting that the Sahara territory was an integral part of the Sherifian Empire, with undeniable ties between the region’s tribes and the Sultan of Morocco. She pointed out that the Polisario Front was created in 1973 by former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi during the Cold War era. When Gaddafi’s support waned, Algeria took over in 1975, backing the Polisario Front to defend its interests against Morocco.

Sitail emphasized that the last 23 United Nations resolutions have regarded Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as a credible and serious option for resolving the issue.

France’s recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over Sahara marks a significant milestone in the diplomatic efforts to find a lasting solution to this long-standing dispute.