In an interview with Jeune Afrique Magazine published on Friday, Alaoui pointed to the “doublespeak” of countries that claim to be partners, especially on the Sahara issue, recalling that France, which is about to grant broad autonomy to Corsica, “still refuses to take the step of full recognition of Morocco’s territorial integrity.”
Asked about the reasons preventing Paris from taking the step towards a more frank recognition like the United States, the expert noted that such a reluctance to go Washington’s way could be linked to “a concern to further strain the complicated relations with Algiers.”
“I think this is part of the explanation,” he said, recalling that the current French position is “largely favorable” to Morocco through support for the autonomy plan, with France being one of the first countries to support the initiative after it was released in 2007.
France has now entered the second – and final – term of President Macron. There is therefore an opportunity to take the step and move towards full recognition of the Moroccan Sahara, Alaoui said.
In the same vein, the political scientist recalled the “very important” new position of the Netherlands, the country being the keystone of northern Europe by its geography and culture, adding that he is convinced that others will follow.
“This is the course of history because we know what chaos and imbalances separatism can generate,” said Alaoui, who discussed the reasons behind the latest “reversal” in Spanish-Moroccan relations.
Regarding the diplomatic successes achieved by the Kingdom in recent years, especially in the Sahara issue, the expert argued that the succession of these diplomatic “coups” is part of the new foreign policy doctrine deployed by HM King Mohammed VI for over twenty years.
“These are only the tip of the iceberg of a strategy conceptualized upstream and based on the renewed fundamentals of the position that Morocco should occupy within the community of nations,” he said.
Morocco has long been a pivot country between East and West, one of the cornerstones of the dialogue on the Middle East, under the reign of Late HM Hassan II. With the new vision of HM King Mohammed VI, North-South and South-South dimensions have been added to the mix, in addition to the belief that Morocco is not just the gateway to Africa, but also the catalyst for South-South partnerships, the expert underlined.
“This shift in the center of gravity of Moroccan foreign policy, along with Morocco’s return to the African Union, have consolidated the Kingdom’s diplomatic position. This has led to diplomatic victories where the HM King was in the front line,” Alaoui concluded.
Source: Agency Morocaine De Presse