Rabat – The recent Dutch endorsement of Morocco’s 2007 Autonomy Plan has received little attention in Dutch media as the long-term foreign policy shift fits neatly within international momentum on the Western Sahara dossier.
When the US and Spain endorsed Morocco’s peace plan for resolving the Sahara dispute, the news made headlines around the world. Yet, what was seen as controversial in 2020, when the US first expressed its support, appears to now be seen as a logical foreign policy move that receives little attention.
When the news broke of the Dutch government’s endorsement in Moroccan media, only Morocco-oriented Dutch outlets mentioned the noticeable foreign policy shift.
Dutch public broadcaster NOS was the only major news outlet to even report the news. “The Netherlands too supports Morocco on Western Sahara issue,” its headline stated, highlighting that the Dutch decision is only one in a series of European endorsements of Morocco’s autonomy proposal.
Dutch confirmation
Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister Wopke Hoekstra on Wednesday, May 11, reported to Dutch parliament on his talks with his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita. The document confirms that the Netherlands “considers the autonomy plan presented in 2007 as a serious and credible contribution to the UN-led political process.”
The detailed communique outlines a warm discussion between the two top diplomats, with the two countries’ shared focus on countering extremism receiving special attention on the sidelines of the meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS in Marrakech. Hoekstra thanked Morocco for its contributions to the Libyan peace process as well as Rabat’s role in EU-Africa cooperation.
The two countries reaffirmed their “strong partnership” in counter-terrorism activities and lauded 400 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations. The communique further indicates that Dutch-Moroccan cooperation on security matters, and a variety of other priorities, are only set to expand.
As such, the Dutch foreign minister invited Bourita to visit the Netherlands, while both diplomats “expressed their firm intent to continue frequent dialogue and an increased cooperation in all areas including on current affairs, migration, culture, security, human rights and economic cooperation.”
Expanding Dutch-Moroccan cooperation
On the same day, Hoekstra also responded in writing to questions from members of Dutch parliament on Dutch-Moroccan relations. The document mentions that the Netherlands has developed a “bilateral action plan” to strengthen Dutch-Moroccan relations, with the Dutch prioritizing migration as a key element for cooperation.
“Migration Cooperation with Morocco is an important part of the broad bilateral relationship,” Hoekstra detailed, adding that this includes legal and circular migration.
“Collaboration in this field depends on the specific wishes of Morocco,” the Dutch FM wrote, adding that the Dutch government “is open to see what better use can be made of existing legal migration channels, where migration is in the interest of both countries.”
Read also: The Netherlands Supports Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara
Hoekstra further stated it “could not confirm” which countries were involved in the 2011 Pegasus scandal, and highlighted that it followed closely the ongoing diplomatic spat between Morocco and Algeria.
Parliamentarians of Geert Wilders’ openly anti-Moroccan PVV party asked Hoestra questions that appeared aimed at creating controversy. The questions described Morocco’s Sahara diplomacy as “annexation,” warned of Moroccan influence on European mosques, and described Morocco as enabling “Moroccan criminals and illegals.”
Hoekstra brushed off the PVV’s incriminating statements, instead highlighting that ”the Netherlands and Morocco have a bilateral relationship that dates back 400 years, this means
that the two countries are closely linked.” He described ongoing bilateral diplomacy as based on mutual interests and again described the Moroccan Autonomy Plan as a “serious and credible contribution to the UN-led process.”
Agricultural cooperation
MPs also asked Hoekstra to expand on available opportunities for Dutch business in Morocco, particularly on e-mobility, hydrogen, “climate smart agriculture” and the modernization of green-house based agriculture.
In response, the top Dutch diplomat outlined some Moroccan climate-related challenges such as the impact of droughts on agriculture and the domestic energy transition. “Dutch business can play an important role in addressing and responding to such challenges,” he concluded.
Dutch-Moroccan relations can benefit from each country’s unique agricultural expertise, Hoekstra highlighted. Dutch companies could contribute to Moroccan agriculture by helping improve water-efficiency, as well as reducing the use of chemicals and sharing expertise on the packaging and transportation of agricultural products.
Despite the Netherlands’ limited geographical size (the Western Sahara region alone is six times its size), the tiny country is the second-largest exporter of agricultural products in the world, after the United States. Due to a focus on technology and the use of green-houses, the small country’s agricultural exports alone were worth $111 billion in 2017.
Parliamentarians, besides the populist PVV, seemed eager for news on upcoming trade missions, investment opportunities and expanding trade with Morocco. “The Netherlands has had trade relations with Morocco for more than 400 years, Dutch-Moroccan cooperation is therefore based on a long tradition,” a question from the centrist Christian Democratic party highlighted.