European Union’s Post-Mali ‘Africa Strategy’: Still a ‘Normative-Civilian-Soft Power’?

North and West Africa are facing a complex set of challenges in terms of democratic transition and consolidation, a growing prominence of Islamist influence, and potential knock-on effects of recent socio-political transformations. Adding to this complexity is Africa’s raising geopolitical importance that is evident in the growing interest of other extra-territorial powers, such as China, […]

Polisario Suffers Legal Setback in Panama

The Algerian-backed Polisario separatists suffered a severe legal setback in Panama where a maritime affairs court refused to hold a vessel carrying Moroccan Sahara phosphates bound to Canada. In a comment on the Panamanian legal decision, Abdellah Saaf, Director of the Centre for Studies and Research in Social Sciences (CERSS), said by rejecting the Polisario’s […]

It would be ‘illusory and disrespectful’ to believe ‘we can build future’ together without clarifying France’s position on Sahara Issue – French Amb. to Rabat

France’s ambassador to Morocco, Christophe Lecourtier, said on Friday in Casablanca that it would be “illusory and disrespectful” to believe that “we could build” a future together with Morocco without clarifying France’s position on the Sahara issue. The French ambassador’s remarks were made during a conference-debate on French-Moroccan relations at the Ain Chock College of […]