France Recognizes Moroccan Sovereignty over Western Sahara, Experts Weigh Impact

"France’s recognition of the Moroccanness of the Sahara is more important than that of Trump," says political scientist and economist Zakaria Garti. He will add that "this recognition has a political weight incomparable to that of any other country, because it is Morocco’s main political partner, as well as Algeria’s, and it is the former colonial power of the two countries." What concessions will France make to Algeria to mitigate the anger of an important actor for France in the region? "It is possible that France, in the coming months, according to the former French ambassador to Algeria, will make new concessions in the field of memory, such as the commemoration of October 17, 1961, and perhaps initiate future negotiations on French compensation for the nuclear tests carried out in the 1950s. In addition, the joint commission between the two governments has prepared a list of assets belonging to Emir Abdelkader that Algeria wishes to recover," responded the political scientist cited by Rue20.

Garti says he is surprised by the French decision taken in the midst of the political "deadlock" that France has been going through for weeks. But diplomacy has its rules and its channels that are difficult to predict, he explains, stressing a great victory for Moroccan diplomacy under the leadership of King Mohammed VI. "Today, Morocco has proven that its diplomatic firmness was a wise choice," the political scientist adds. "The French position is an official republican declaration and has chosen the occasion of the Throne Feast to announce it," summarizes university professor and political scientist Omar Charkaoui.

In a message addressed to King Mohammed VI commemorating the 25th anniversary of his enthronement, French President Emmanuel Macron says he considers "that the present and future of the Western Sahara are part of Moroccan sovereignty," the royal cabinet said in a statement on Tuesday. "France is convinced that the Moroccan Sahara is linked to the national security of the Kingdom, and it will act at the national and international level in harmony with this position," says political scientist Omar Charkaoui.