France’s support is “clear and constant”.
Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné reaffirmed his position in favor of the Moroccan autonomy plan for Western Sahara during a trip to Rabat intended to relaunch the bilateral relationship after a cold period.
He assured that he wanted to make progress on this issue.
“This is an existential issue for Morocco.
We know it,” declared Stéphane Séjourné during a press conference alongside his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita.
🔴 "The question of the #Sahara is existential for #Morocco 🇲🇦 and for all Moroccans, and #France 🇫🇷 knows it", underlines Stéphane #Séjourné.
The French Minister of Foreign Affairs recalls the position of #Paris on this territory pic.twitter.com/nQxZCXPSCA
— FRANCE 24 Français (@France24_fr) February 26, 2024
“Morocco can count on the clear and constant support of France” for its autonomy plan, he added.
“We have said it and I say it again today perhaps with more force: it is now time to move forward.
I will personally see to it,” he said.
Tensions over the status of Western Sahara
Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, is controlled mainly by Morocco but claimed by the Sahrawi separatists of the Polisario Front, supported by Algeria.
The UN considers it a “non-self-governing territory”.
Questioned by journalists, the French minister said he wanted to “support the development” of this region, “in support of Moroccan efforts”.
Also read: Two men killed by Algerian coast guards: the border with Morocco, a dangerous area
“Morocco has invested a lot in development projects for the benefit of local populations and in terms of training, renewable energies, tourism, blue economy linked to aquatic resources,” he declared.
Stéphane Séjourné's visit, which comes after a series of diplomatic crises between Paris and Rabat, aimed to "open a new chapter" in their relations, according to a diplomatic source.
The head of French diplomacy proposed this Monday an “avant-garde” partnership for the next 30 years with Morocco, to focus in particular on renewable energies, training and “the development of new innovative industrial ecosystems”.
“France is a distinguished partner of Morocco on the political, economic and humanitarian levels,” noted the head of Moroccan diplomacy, Nasser Bourita.