Former UN Official: Spain To Influence European Stances on Western Sahara

Rabat – Former UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Bernard Miyet has said that “Spain may be likely to influence other European countries” on their stances towards the Western Sahara conflict.

Given the “geographic importance of Morocco,” Miyet said on March 25 in an interview with EU Today that the Autonomy Plan might enjoy more support from European countries following the Spanish lead.

Morocco’s sovereignty plan for Western Sahara was recognized by the US in December 2020 and endorsed by Spain as a “credible and serious” autonomy plan on March 18.

Morocco has long-standing relationships with EU member states in areas such as fishing, migration, drug trafficking, and counter-terrorism.

“The Kingdom of Morocco constitutes a pole of stability in the western Mediterranean in the face of the security and migratory challenges that may arise. The Europeans wish to preserve this situation,” underlined the former UN official.

France, Morocco’s strategic ally and former colonizer, has “constantly preached [within the EU] the need to take into account the risks and challenges coming from both its eastern and southern flanks in order to guarantee peace and security,” added Miyet.

France has “traditionally” showed support for Morocco within the UN Security Council, the official argued, indicating that this can be “a major factor in molding a common European position”, particularly during the global energy crisis driven by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The closure of the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline (MEG) in October 2021 further hindered the natural gas supply to southern Europe. The pipeline delivers Algerian natural gas through Morocco.

Algeria refused to extend the contract, accusing Morocco of “hostility.” The pipeline’s closure led to a 21.2% drop in Spanish natural gas supply in 2021.

Earlier this month, Spanish media outlets reported that Spain is holding high-level meetings with Algerian officials to reopen the pipeline.

As Spain recognized Morocco’s Autonomy Plan, the Algerian government expressed dissatisfaction with the “sudden reversal of the position of the former administering power of Western Sahara.” This shift might shape the course of negotiation on the reopening of MEG.