French FM reiterates support for Morocco’s sovereignty over Sahara before visit to Algiers

French foreign minister Jean Noël Barrot reaffirmed his country’s position in support of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara territory, a few days before he heads to Algiers, in a visit announced in a joint French-Algerian statement signaling the end of a row over the fate of the former Spanish colony.

“Just a few months ago, we made clear our position: the present and future of Western Sahara fall within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty, in line with the Moroccan autonomy plan,” Barrot stated during a hearing before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly on Wednesday.

“There are no other realistic or credible solutions today,” he stressed, emphasizing that this is part of “a lasting and mutually acceptable political solution within the framework of the United Nations, and we support UN efforts towards this dialogue.”

In this context, Barrot underlined that he will have the opportunity to discuss this in a few days with his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, in Paris.

Barrot was reacting to a question by a pro-Polisario and Algerian relic within the Assembly, Jean-Paul Lecoq, who has recently expressed disapproval after the French senate updated its world maps showing Morocco’s full territory, including the Sahara.

Barrot’s statement came after Macron and Tebboune issued a joint statement announcing the end of a feud that was provoked by Algiers in reaction to Paris position on the Sahara.

The statement announced an upcoming visit by Barrot and the French justice minister as the two countries agreed to immediately resume cooperation on security and migration issues, following Algeria’s reluctance to take its nationals deported for having violated French laws.

French President Emmanuel Macron had expressed this stance in a letter to King Mohammed VI in July 2024, affirming that “France considers that the present and future of Western Sahara lie within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty.”

Macron had reaffirmed “the unwavering position of France on this issue of national security for the Kingdom” and asserted that his country “intends to act in alignment with this position both nationally and internationally.”

Macron had reaffirmed this position during a historic address before the Moroccan Parliament on October 29, as part of his state visit to the Kingdom.