France Considers Opening First European Consulate in Moroccan Sahara

Three months after the recognition of the Moroccanness of the Sahara, France wants to take concrete actions. According to a source at the Élysée Palace, France will open the first European diplomatic representation in the heart of the Moroccan Sahara, reports the Institute of Geopolitical Horizons (IGH), specifying that the official announcement of this initiative should take place during the speech of the French President before the Moroccan Parliament on Tuesday, October 29, 2024. The French consulate and institute should officially start their activities on November 6, the date coinciding with the anniversary of the Green March, one of Morocco’s most important national events, the same source adds.

The consulate will be located in the Assalam district of Laâyoune and will be responsible for providing consular services in the Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra and Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab regions. The French institute in Laâyoune will offer educational and cultural programs including language courses and a media library. It will be the fourteenth French institute in the kingdom. According to diplomatic sources, this approach represents a "qualitative change" in French policy towards the Moroccan Sahara, while supporting the increase of French investments in the region, particularly in the field of renewable energies. This initiative should pave the way for other European Union countries to take similar measures, as Morocco strengthens its status as a key player in the region, with a growing number of African and Arab countries having opened consulates in Laâyoune and Dakhla, the institute is convinced.

Emmanuel Macron will visit Rabat on Monday, October 28 as part of a three-day state visit. The expected visit of the French President to the kingdom is a state visit in an exceptional regional and international context in the history of Moroccan-French relations. This visit will be an opportunity to strengthen cooperation and partnership between the two countries in various fields, involving a significant presence of the French government and business leaders.