Former French President Sarkozy Expresses Deep Affection for Morocco Amid Earthquake Crisis

"You know, like many French people, I love Morocco. For a reason I don’t know, I can’t read Camus without telling myself that I would have liked to be born in North Africa... I love this sun, I love this light, I love this civilization and, immediately in Morocco, I felt at home. I can’t explain it to you. It’s a country that I love. I love the nobility, the elegance of the Moroccans, their warmth, their welcome, whatever their social level," said Nicolas Sarkozy.

The former French president not only appreciates the kingdom, but also King Mohammed VI. "I have known well, I believe I know well, the King of Morocco, His Majesty. He is a great leader. He is a very great leader," he said, recalling that Morocco is "a great ally of France." According to him, the devastating earthquake of Friday, September 8 "touched well beyond the Franco-Moroccan community... It’s beautiful to see the French moved by this."

In his book, Nicolas Sarkozy recalls the importance for France to "cherish" and "preserve" the "privileged" relations with Morocco. "The Moroccans are sometimes sensitive to the point of susceptibility [...] President Macron has not always found the words and gestures that the Moroccans expected. His Algerian tropism will bring him many disappointments," he analyzes in his book, revealing the possible source of tensions between the two countries.

Sarkozy claims not to be aware of the "details of [Franco-Moroccan] relations today" but stresses that "the Franco-Moroccan relationship has always been essential." The former head of state remembers his response to President Bouteflika who "amicably" reproached him for having made his state visit to Morocco before Algeria. "Listen, I prefer to go to a country where we are magnificently welcomed, celebrating the friendship and proximity of the Franco-Moroccan culture rather than to a country, where over three days of visit, I spend two days catching up while I was barely born at the time when the Algerian war was ending."