Paris’ Support for the “Autonomy Plan” for Western Sahara: “Yet Another Gift to Rabat” (Press)
The intensified support from Paris for Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara is seen as “yet another gift to Rabat,” according to the French magazine “Marianne.” The publication noted that in recent years, successive French governments have frequently yielded to Moroccan pressures.
Commenting on Paris’ endorsement of Morocco’s so-called “autonomy plan” for Western Sahara, “Marianne” expressed disappointment with French diplomacy, accusing it of once again kowtowing to the Moroccan monarchy.
In an extensive article titled “Espionage, International Law, Disinformation… Why Does France Yield So Much to Morocco?”, the magazine questioned, “What exactly are the French afraid of?”
To elucidate this, the author revisited the circumstances surrounding Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara in 1975, suggesting that Paris had even supported the Moroccan military invasion.
“The strategic calculation of then-French President Giscard d’Estaing was clear: a Western Sahara under Moroccan control would be more easily exploitable by French companies than an independent Western Sahara,” the magazine explained.
According to the publication, France has not strayed from this strategy and is “determined not to antagonize Rabat, even if it means trampling over international law concerning the Sahrawi issue.”
The report noted that “this concession was not the only one made by Paris to Rabat,” citing President Hollande’s shelving of a judicial procedure against the head of Moroccan intelligence, Abdellatif Hammouchi, who was accused in France of complicity in torture by Sahrawi activists and Moroccan dissidents.
“The second significant appeasement occurred in 2021,” the article continued, referencing the scandal involving Morocco spying on the personal phones of President Macron and his entire cabinet. “Once again, Paris’ response was weak,” the magazine lamented.
The article also highlighted attacks by Moroccan press close to the Makhzen (the governing elite) against President Macron and intrusions into his privacy.” In response, Paris has once again bowed down,” the publication deplored.
Furthermore, the magazine claimed that Morocco uses “migration blackmail” to secure “diplomatic gains,” noting that in 2022, eight out of ten individuals who illegally entered Spanish territory did so through the Cherifian kingdom.
“This statistic forced Spain, ahead of France, to adopt the same stance regarding Western Sahara,” the article recalled.
To bolster its occupation of Western Sahara and assert its alleged “sovereignty” over the territory, Morocco has also resorted to disinformation.
“At the media level, Abdelmalek Alaoui oversees disinformation campaigns, securing op-eds in prestigious outlets such as Le Monde and Le Figaro,” revealed the French magazine, noting that “he is close to the king’s advisor, André Azoulay.”
“In his writings, he presents historical falsehoods about the Moroccanness of Western Sahara,” the article claimed.
The publication also pointed out another tactic employed by the monarchy’s inner circle, which involves “inviting French journalists for promotional reports,” a practice that deters some professionals from conducting investigative or balanced reporting on the monarchy.
Source: APS
