France has taken a pivotal step by officially recognizing Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces in Western Sahara.
In a letter addressed to King Mohammed VI, Macron expressed France’s unequivocal support for Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara.
According to the French president, Paris’s position is that “the present and future of Western Sahara fall within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty.”
He reiterated that France’s stance on the matter remains “consistent and unwavering,” aligning with the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco in 2007.
The autonomy initiative “constitutes the only basis for a political, fair, sustainable, and negotiated solution, in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions,” Macron stressed.
This high-profile change in France’s position comes on the heels of ongoing reconciliation efforts between Paris and Rabat, with France having made repeated steps in recent months to show its determination to mend ties with Morocco.
As part of this reconciliation push, the French government has consistently described Morocco as a key strategic ally in various domains of Europe, including security, migration management, and trade.
France Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Sejoine reaffirmed this commitment further during his visit to Morocco in February, emphasizing the importance of cooperation and shared regional stability.
For decades, France also endorsed Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as a credible and serious solution to the dispute.
But many in Morocco viewed that support as mere lip service and not enough to show real support for Moroccan territorial integrity.
With Macron’s letter to the King, Paris has now officially confirmed a position that represents a fresh blow to Algeria and the Polisario Front, which have long challenged Morocco’s territorial integrity.
France’s decision comes after Algeria’s regime issued a hasty statement last week, condemning Paris’s new position on the Sahara.
On Thursday, the Algerian Foreign Ministry expressed its strong disapproval of France’s newfound support for Morocco’s Western Sahara stance.
“The Algerian Government has noted with great regret and profound disapproval the unexpected, untimely, and counterproductive decision of the French government to provide unequivocal and unqualified support for the autonomy plan over Western Sahara within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty,” the statement read.
Hours following the statement, the Algerian ministry retracted it, but Algerian officials as well as Polisario continued to express frustration over the French position.
This change in France’s Sahara policy also aligns with a growing momentum in Morocco’s diplomacy, which continues to gain recognition and support for its proposed solution to the dispute.
Notably, Spain, alongside the US and an increasing number of European countries and global partners have all emphasized the credibility and seriousness of the Moroccan initiative as a framework for ending the longstanding dispute.The initiative has also received a nod from the UN, which considers it as a credible and serious step toward ending the Sahara conflict.
