Rabat – Agence France-Presse (AFP) has recently used the full Moroccan map in an infographic showing which countries have qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The agency posted the tweet on its Arabic account on April 1 , including an infographic detailing which countries made it into the tournament and which haven’t.
The change in coverage is especially significant considering AFP’s previous approaches to covering the dispute.
This use is the latest in a string of international organizations and institutions that have adopted an undivided Moroccan map, including agencies such as the CIA, CDC, and BBC.
The CAF and Arab League also recently adopted the map, marking increasing support for Morocco’s position on a regional level.
Observers have agreed that the trend evidences increasing support for the Moroccan position regarding the Western Sahara dispute.
In the case of AFP specifically, the use demonstrates a perspective shift, as AFP’s coverage of the dispute was much different.
Earlier this year, the agency misrepresented comments from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres about the issue, insinuating that there are only two sides to the conflict – Morocco and the Polisario front – while ignoring the influence of other agents like Algeria and Mauritania.
Guterres had mentioned that all parties to the conflict must reach a peaceful conclusion, a statement which AFP reported as concerning “both sides.”
Read Also: AFP Misrepresents Guterres’ Statements About Western Sahara
