More voices call EU to follow the example of the US, recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara
Since the US announced on December 10, 2020 its historic decision to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara, several voices rose to urge the European Union to follow suit.
The latest of these voices was that of the Mayor of Metz François Grosdidier who called on the European Union to follow the example of the US Administration.
“The United States has set an example by recognizing Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces,” said the Mayor of the French city, noting that this is a perfectly legitimate recognition in terms of history.
“I welcome the gesture of the Americans and I think that the European Union should do so,” he said in a statement to MAP.
“If the EU recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara provinces it would show to all those who are struggling to preserve this residue of the Cold War that it is no longer time to do so (…) and that we must help the nations of the Maghreb to unite, to open up, to face together the 21st century (…),” he said.
“The best service that the EU could render to Morocco, Algeria and the entire Maghreb is this recognition of national sovereignty and to stop this tragicomedy that has been taking place for decades at the expense of the peoples of the region”.
“It is absolutely necessary that the EU follows the US example and recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over the southern provinces which is already a reality shared by the population on the ground,” he insisted.
The Mayor of Metz also expressed his support for Morocco, following the “incessant and regular provocations of polisario”, alluding to the blockade of the Guerguarat crossing point between Morocco and Mauritania.
“I want to commend the coolness of Morocco which has always had legitimate and strictly proportionate reactions to these provocations to ensure the safety of citizens and the serenity of society without indulging in disproportionate reactions that could be blamed,” he said.
He also stressed the seriousness and credibility of the autonomy solution proposed by Morocco as a guarantee of peace and stability for the entire region.
The Morocco-proposed autonomy initiative was also hailed by the Mayor of the neighboring commune of Montigny-lès-Metz in Moselle and Vice-President of the Grand Est region, Jean-Luc Bohl.
He stressed in this connection the unifying role of Morocco by putting on the table a solution that guarantees peace and prosperity in the Moroccan southern provinces.
“If the vocation of the European Union was to bring together what was scattered, that of Morocco is to bring together, in the southern provinces, what is scattered,” the French official told MAP.
Echoing his colleague François Grosdidier regarding the US recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over its Sahara, the mayor of Montigny-lès-Metz said that “this is the example to follow” to support Morocco in its efforts to promote prosperity and stability in the region.
