French MP calls France to be part of dynamic prompted by US recognition of Moroccanness of Sahara

France, an ally and a historic strategic partner of Morocco, must be part of the dynamic prompted by the US recognition of the Moroccanness of the Sahara, said on Thursday Benjamin Griveaux, member of the French National Assembly and co-founder of La République en Marche, the Presidential majority party.

 

The United States’ has recently recognized the Moroccanness of the Sahara. The new Biden administration confirmed it, which paved the way for a sustainable and just resolution of a conflict that has lasted too long in the region,” he told MAP.
The United States’ recognition of the Moroccanness of the Sahar paves the way for a sustainable and just resolution of a conflict that has lasted too long in the region, the French MP told MAP.

 

“To be truly sustainable, this approach must be part of a multilateral approach in which France, but also the European Union, must do their share. Momentum has been initiated and it must not fall back,” the former spokesman of the French government added.

 

In that regard, Griveaux wished that France, an ally and a historic strategic partner of Morocco, would “work to remove the remaining resistance, both among its European partners and among Morocco’s neighboring countries.

 

According to the French Deputy, normalizing the situation in the Sahara is central for two reasons. First, it is essential to regional stability and security of the entire Sahel-Sahara zone, to which Morocco has contributed much, especially in the fight against certain jihadist groups.

 

Secondly, the recognition of the Moroccanness of the Sahara provides an opportunity for economic development for the local populations and for Morocco’s southern provinces, he added.

 

According to the MP, the port city of Dakhla “has all the assets to reach the level of development achieved by other major Moroccan economic and industrial centers “.

 

“Morocco is already in the forefront of the green transition on the scale of the African continent and its know-how and expertise are unanimously recognized.”

 

“Dakhla has all the potential to become, in the medium term, the great continental platform of the ecological transition,” Griveaux said. “France and the European Union should not miss this important opportunity for Morocco and the entire region,” he said.

 

In a related development, France’s former Secretary of State for Cooperation and Francophonie, Alain Joyandet, also commented on the game-changer US recognition of the Moroccanness of the Sahara, saying that the US decision is a welcome opportunity to move forward.

 

In a comment published by Monde Afrique, the French politician who noted the slow progress towards resolution of the Sahara issue made so far, said the decision to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara is a welcome opportunity to move forward. He argued that the development “did not trigger any audible international disputes,” as neither the African Union nor the European Union made any major objections.

“All of this shows that the time may be right to follow in the United States’ footsteps,” continued the politician. He believes that, even if not “essential,” the Abrahamic Accords are a “positive contribution” towards resolving a number of issues in the MENA region.

“France should not remain indifferent to this development in North Africa… The European Union cannot remain indifferent,” insisted Joyandet.

 

Noting that European security might be endangered by instability in the southern neighborhood, especially that the Sahel strip today concentrates most of the terrorist dangers, the French politician argued that supporting separatism in the Sahara only seeks to create further destabilization and socio-political crises in an already fragile region.

 

“Sometimes history offers opportunities that should not be missed,” he stated, adding that the time has come to once and for all settle the Sahara conflict by embracing Morocco’s Autonomy Plan.

 

The Politician insisted that Morocco is undoubtedly the only country in the region able to ensure peace in the Sahara, as it has shown that it has the potential — and the political will — to provide real prospects for economic development and social prosperity in its southern provinces.