Germany Responds to Morocco’s Diplomatic Freeze, Citing ’Close’ Relations

"We have taken note of the media reports," said Heiko Maas, German Minister of Foreign Affairs. According to the German media, the exact context of Morocco’s decision to suspend all contact, interaction or action with both its embassy in Rabat and German cooperation agencies and political foundations is not clear. To the extent that the Federal Foreign Office describes the relations with the kingdom on the Internet as "traditionally close, friendly and without tension".

However, the German media admit that there are currently several points of friction between Rabat and the federal government. Among them, Germany’s position on the Sahara. The German government has criticized the American decision to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara. Another point of friction: Rabat’s exclusion from negotiations on the future of Libya during a conference organized in Berlin in January 2020.

On Monday, Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Residing Abroad, sent an official letter to the head of government and other members of the government calling on them to suspend all contact with "the Embassy of Germany in Morocco" "due to the deep misunderstandings with the Federal Republic of Germany on the fundamental issues of the Kingdom of Morocco".