Rabat – The Ministry of Education, Vocational Training, and Higher Education has denied having approved a textbook featuring a map of Morocco without its southern provinces in Western Sahara.
In a statement it issued on Saturday, October 26, the ministry, referencing reports by a number of online news outlets that it had approved a French language textbook which depicted a Western Sahara-less Morocco map, firmly denied the reports.
The ministry “denied that the book entitled ‘Je lis avec Mona’ (I read with Mona),published by a French publishing house, is on the list of approved textbooks.”
The ministry added that it will take “necessary steps” against the parties concerned.
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For Morocco, its territorial integrity, which includes the recognition of its historical and legal claims over its southern provinces, is “a red Line.”
Earlier this week, Omar hilale, Morocco’s permanent representative at the UN, reiterated the “Moroccanness of Western Sahara,” pointing out that Western Sahara is part and parcel of Morocco’s sovereignty.
Over the years, the Moroccan government has continuously condemned any move that question Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over Western Sahara.
In December 2018, Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA) tweeted a divided Moroccan map.
The FRMF contacted the UAFA to warn it against the move. The AUFA subsequently deleted the truncated map, stating that it was an “unintentional mistake.”
