Morocco Recalls Ambassador to Turkey Amid Rising Tensions over Libya and Trade

The decision to recall the kingdom’s ambassador to Ankara, Mohamed Ali Lazrak, although not denied by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, could justify strong tensions.

While the free trade agreement shows a jagged health, in view of the amendments proposed by Moulay Hafid El Alamy to address the $2 billion deficit, the conflict in Libya provides fertile ground for the battle of positions between the two countries.

The incursion of the Turkish army in Libya to rally the troops of the Government of National Reconciliation against the Libyan National Army, led by Marshal Khalifa Haftar, would not be to the liking of Moroccan diplomacy.

At the initiative of the Skhirat agreement, Morocco has always advocated a political solution in resolving the Libyan conflict and rejects any military intervention. But this position against Turkey would be unacceptable and above all incomprehensible, knowing that the United Arab Emirates and Egypt had already provided military support to Marshal Haftar’s troops.

The third hypothesis is the visit, in Algeria, of the Turkish President, Recep Erdogan. The signing of commercial, political and military agreements reflects a great rapprochement between the positions of the two partners, thus weakening Morocco.