EU Lawmaker Urges France to Respect Morocco’s Earthquake Response

MEP Thierry Mariani is criticizing France’s attitude towards Morocco. According to him, Paris, which has offered its aid to Rabat which has not yet accepted it, should not treat it with condescension. "Morocco - we forget - is not an underdeveloped country. We should stop being a bit contemptuous. [...] Morocco is a fairly centralized structure, taking stock of the damage caused by the earthquake before requesting aid," he said on Belpresse, recalling that Morocco "was much faster than France during the Covid-19 pandemic" "I remind you that it was they who sent us masks. Not the other way around," he added.

Why hasn’t Morocco officially requested French aid? "There is more than just a malaise between the two countries. In reality, the two heads of state no longer speak to each other," the French politician assured. To date, Rabat has only accepted aid from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Spain and the United Kingdom. They have sent search and rescue teams to the kingdom.

Addressing the Sahara issue, Thierry Mariani urges France to follow in the footsteps of countries like Spain, the United States, and Israel in recognizing Morocco’s sovereignty over this territory. A call already made by former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and French senators. Rabat has not failed to demand a position from Paris on the Sahara. Despite these multiple calls, Emmanuel Macron remains reluctant.