Sahara: Royal Leadership Leads to More International Diplomatic Gains

Thanks to the leadership of King Mohammed VI, Morocco has shifted regional power dynamics, resulting in growing diplomatic gains and more international support for its territorial integrity and sovereignty over its Saharan territory.

In 2024, the North African Kingdom has gained the support of France, a permanent member of the UN Security Council with veto power and four other European countries: Slovenia, Finland, Denmark and Estonia, dealing a hard blow to the Algerian regime and its Polisario puppets.

In a letter sent to King Mohammed VI, French President Emmanuel Macron has affirmed that “the present and future of Sahara lie within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty.”

“France views this as the ONLY basis to achieve a just, lasting, and negotiated political solution, in accordance with U.N. Security Council resolutions”, underlined the French President, following in the footsteps of the United States which recognized the Moroccanness of the Sahara in 2020. Washington is also the penholder of the resolutions on the Sahara at the UN Security Council.

In the European continent, Morocco also made a diplomatic breakthrough as Finland, Denmark, Slovenia and Estonia joined the list of countries supporting Morocco’s Autonomy plan offered for the Sahara, bringing up the total number of EU countries backing the autonomy initiative to more than 20, while at international level, this number surges to 113.

In November, the European Parliament scrapped the “Western Sahara” inter-group in a move seen as a slap on the face of the Algeria-backed Polisario separatist group.

According to some experts, the dissolution of the pro-polisario lobbying group sends a strong message from the European Union and the European Parliament to the enemies of Morocco’s territorial integrity that the ONLY solution to the Sahara regional conflict lies within the framework of the Moroccan sovereignty. The decision may also pave the way for other EU moves to advance the strategic partnership set between Rabat and Brussels.

Morocco had urged the EU to defend bilateral partnership with tangible actions not words, following the unfair ruling issued by the European Court of Justice scrapping fisheries & agricultural deals with Morocco because they included goods from the southern provinces: the Sahara.

In his latest Green March speech, King Mohammed VI has affirmed that Morocco’s partnerships and legal obligations will never be at the expense of its territorial integrity or its national sovereignty.

In Latin America, Morocco’s soft power is gaining momentum spurred by Royal diplomacy and geopolitical shift against separatism, extremism, and destabilizing forces. During the few past months, Ecuador and Panama have suspended recognition of the self-proclaimed SADR, opening up a new chapter in relations between the North African Kingdom and these Latin American countries.

Starting January 1, 2025, Panama will take its seat as a non-permanent member at the UN the Security Council which supports the Autonomy plan proposed by Morocco for the Sahara under its sovereignty.

In 2024, the process of Consulates opening by African countries in Moroccan Southern provinces also continued with the inauguration by the Republic of Chad of a diplomatic mission in the city of Dakhla, bringing up the number of consulates opened so far to more than 30, representing almost 40 percent of the African Union countries.

Furthermore, several African countries including Zambia, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi and Gambia convened this year with Morocco joint cooperation meetings in the Saharan cities of Laayoune or Dakhla, a move confirming their recognition of the Moroccanness of the Sahara.

These joint meetings were crowned with the signing of partnership agreements in education, training, tourism, agriculture, fisheries, tourism, food security, energy…

At the Arab World, the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries continue to reaffirm their unwavering support for Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara, saying they stand united for the security and stability of the North African Kingdom and its territorial integrity.

With the return of Trump to the White House, the royal transformative initiatives reshaping regional landscape will be strengthened further as they rally global investment for shared prosperity, stability and peace.

Meanwhile, the Algerian regime, which funds, arms, and hosts the Polisario armed militias, continues to undermine the UN-led efforts seeking peaceful and lasting solution to the Sahara regional conflict.

The incoming Trump Administration is expected to use all leverage for the resolution of the Middle-East crisis and for ending the Sahara conflict as there is a growing consensus among the five permanent members of UN Security Council (USA, France, UK, China, Russia) on supporting Morocco’s territorial integrity and the autonomy plan offered for the Sahara under its sovereignty.

According to some analysts, if the Algerian military regime does not change its warmongering policy threatening regional peace and stability, it will face U.S. sanctions and labelled a state sponsor of terrorism as the Polisario armed militia group will be very likely designated a terror entity and kicked out of the African Union.