Macron Seeks to Mend Ties with Morocco and Algeria Amid Regional Tensions

Emmanuel Macron wants to defuse the crisis with Morocco and Algeria. "We will move forward, the period is not the best, but that won’t stop me," he said Monday during a press conference on his strategy in Africa. His will, he will assure, is really to move forward with the kingdom. "The king (Mohammed VI, ed.) knows it, we have had several discussions, there are personal relationships that are friendly," he added.

Referring to the corruption scandal currently shaking the European Parliament, for which accusations are made against Morocco, and following which a resolution was adopted against the kingdom, the French president believes that there "are always people trying to blow up incidents." He said he was "deeply concerned by the allegations that Moroccan authorities may have bribed members of the European Parliament."

France is accused of being behind the adoption by the European Parliament of a resolution noting the deterioration of human rights in Morocco. "Is it the doing of the French government? No! Has France poured oil on the fire? No! We must move forward despite these controversies," said Macron.

The French president also spoke about the crisis with Algeria. The latter had recalled on February 8 its ambassador to France for "consultations" to protest against the "clandestine and illegal exfiltration" to France of the activist and journalist Amira Bouraoui via Tunisia. "I know I can count on the friendship and commitment of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. We will move forward there too," is convinced Emmanuel Macron, believing that "there are a lot of people who have an interest in what we have been doing for years now with Algeria not to succeed."