Macron Recognizes Moroccan Sovereignty Over Western Sahara in Letter to King

THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC

Sire,

As the Moroccans are preparing to celebrate His accession to the throne, I am very pleased to present to Your Majesty my personal wishes for health, happiness and success and to renew the expression of the deep friendship that the French people bear towards the Moroccan people. Without a doubt, the celebration, on July 30 next, of the 25th anniversary of the enthronement of Your Majesty will give this year’s festivities a particular brilliance and resonance.

On this occasion, it is the entire Moroccan people who will celebrate the continuous modernization that Morocco has experienced under the impetus of Your Majesty in all areas, and which has strengthened its status as an indispensable player in Africa and in the world over the years. During these 25 years, France, under my mandate as under those of my predecessors, has shown itself to be faithful to its centuries-old friendship with Morocco, by standing by its side, each time it wished, to accompany it in its most ambitious achievements.

Morocco’s trust and the quality of the projects carried out with it are a source of great pride for France and the French people. In the current context, I wish to assure Your Majesty of my unwavering commitment to continue, as we have agreed in recent months, the deepening and modernization of the exceptional partnership that binds our two countries, to enable them to better meet together the new challenges they face, with the African continent and the rest of the international community.

France, in particular, will continue to anchor the sincerity of its friendship for Morocco and the effectiveness of its partnership with it in a clear and strong position on the most essential issues for Your Majesty and the Moroccans. In this regard, I consider that the present and the future of the Western Sahara fall within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty. Also, I affirm to You the intangibility of the French position on this issue of national security for Your Kingdom. France intends to act in coherence with this position at the national and international level. For France, autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty is the framework in which this issue must be resolved. Our support for the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco in 2007 is clear and constant.

For France, it now constitutes the only basis for reaching a just, lasting and negotiated political solution in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. Moreover, the continued economic and social development of this region is an imperative. I salute all the efforts made by Morocco in this regard. France will accompany it in this approach for the benefit of the local populations. It is time to move forward. I therefore encourage all parties to meet with a view to a political settlement, which is within reach. Today, an increasingly broad international consensus is emerging in this regard. France is playing its full part in all the relevant forums. In this context, it supports the efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy. They must constitute the beginning of a renewed process of regional integration, promoting cooperation, stability and prosperity in the Maghreb.

Thus strengthened, Morocco appears to me to be not only a leading partner for France as for the European Union, but also, in a particularly troubled international context, a pole of stability called upon to play an increasing international role. Deeply attached, like Your Majesty, to the fact that the relationship between France and Morocco can continue to grow and strengthen, I hope to be able to visit Morocco soon at Your invitation, to give substance, by Your side, to the renewed vision that I share with You, as the youth of our two countries, of the relationship between France and Morocco. It is in this spirit that I pray Your Majesty to accept the expression of my very high consideration and my deep friendship.

Emmanuel MACRON