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The diplomatic row between Morocco and Spain has been a political priority recently, but Morocco’s deteriorating relationship with Germany is also an issue that is of utmost importance. German diplomats invited Morocco to participate in the International Conference on Libya later this month, according to news reports.
This invitation comes after Morocco recalled it’s German ambassador last month over several political issues between the two countries.
The Moroccan government has largely ceased communication with Germany over what it described as “deep misunderstandings” between the two countries, and Moroccan officials remain silent on what the country’s response to the invitation will be.
There are several issues that lie at the center of Morocco’s issue with Germany. Primarily, Germany’s stance over Western Sahara is a key concern in Rabat, as well as their hosting of former terrorism convict Mohamed Hajib have been a contentious topic between the two countries.
Former US President Donald Trump chose to formally recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara in a statement late last year. Shortly after, Germany was quick to refute the statement, calling on the US to act within, “the framework of international law,” in order to find a solution for the issue. Many dismissed the German statement as a shallow attempt at “virtual signaling” over Western Sahara, while still seeking to expand economic ties with Rabat.
The second issue causing division between the two countries concerns Germany’s refusal to extradite former terrorism convict Mohamed Hajib, who has been living in Germany since 2017.
While in Germany, Hajib released a series of youtube videos accusing Moroccan forces of torturing him during his seven year prison sentence. These accusations have been dismissed as false by both Moroccan security forces, as well as former inmates that were imprisoned with Hajib during his sentence. Morocco has continued to petition Germany to extradite Hajib back to Morocco to answer for additional charges, but the European country has continued to refuse, worsening ties between the two countries.
Earlier this year, Germany held a conference over the future of Libya, which Morocco was not invited to. This conference included several countries around the world, including China, Russia, and Algeria, as well as a large group of European nations.
Morocco resented not being invited after it played a significant role in the peace process that ended the Libyan conflict. The kingdom hosted a round table talk including several factions of the conflict, which in turn later helped UN-led talks over the issue.
Many view Germany’s attempts to invite Morocco to the international conference later this month as an attempt to pander to the kingdom, and one anonymous source close to the Moroccan government stated that if Germany believed this invitation would repair the damage already done to the relationship, it was “another error in judgment.”
