As the sky darkens for the relationship between Algeria and France, Paris and Rabat are moving up a gear in their rapprochement after France’s formal recognition of the “sovereignty“Moroccan on Western Sahara, and the state visit that President Emmanuel Macron will make to Morocco at the end of next October.
After a sulking of several years, King Mohammed VI is announced among those present at the Francophonie summit in Paris next month. A presence which should further strengthen a rapprochement desired and blessed by the French right and far-right.
According to Jeune Afrique, Mohammed VI has been in Paris since September 18 for a private visit and is expected to attend the 19th summit of the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF) which will be held in the French capital on October 4 and 5.
The presence of King Mohammed VI at the summit was “announced then confirmed both to the organizers of the OIF and to the Élysée“, indicated several sources to the Parisian magazine.
Mohammed VI will not be alone. He will be accompanied by senior officials of the kingdom, including one of his advisors, Taieb Fassi-Fihri or Fouad Ali El Himma, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita and the ambassador to Paris Samira Sitail.
Mohamed VI in Paris, the crisis between France and Morocco is “ancient history“
The rapprochement between the two countries is intensifying and extending to the economic sphere. On the sidelines of the Francophonie summit, Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch and representatives of Moroccan employers will take part in an economic event, Franco-Tech, organized in one of the largest startup incubators in the world, founded by the businessman Xavier Niel.
The relationship between Paris and Rabat has gone through a long period of coldness in recent years. The crisis reached its climax when international media revealed the spying on French President Emmanuel Macron’s personal phone by Moroccan services via Israeli spyware Pegasus.
In June 2023, the Moroccan writer close to the royal palace, Tahar Ben Jelloun, revealed that during a telephone explanation of this affair, Macron “disrespect“to King Mohammed VI.
However, this is not the real disagreement between the two capitals. Emboldened by the recognition of his “sovereignty” on Western Sahara by the United States of Donald Trump in December 2020, Morocco undertook to make the main European countries give in on the issue.
In March 2022, Spain, subjected to migratory blackmail and bargaining over its enclaves in Morocco, supported the Moroccan autonomy plan, triggering a serious crisis with Algiers.
France, which has supported the Moroccan plan since its presentation in 2007, was required to follow in the footsteps of Washington and Tel Aviv, which recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.
The beginnings of the end of the crisis, and therefore of the announcement of this recognition, began to appear last February when the French Minister of Foreign Affairs at the time, Stéphane Séjourné, revealed that he was personally tasked with by President Emmanuel Macron to open “a new chapter” with Morocco.
At the end of the same month, Séjourné went to Rabat on an official visit where he notably declared that his country considered the question of Western Sahara as a “existential issue“for the kingdom.
Paris finally took the plunge on July 30 when President Macron officially informed King Mohammed VI of his decision to recognize the “Moroccan sovereignty“on Western Sahara and to henceforth consider the autonomy plan as”the only basis for reaching a solution“.
This decision was taken in a context of the rise of the far-right in France. Even if the current did not win the summer legislative elections, it dominates the government of Michel Barnier which was formed on Saturday September 21.
Algeria immediately withdrew its ambassador in Paris, and it has not yet named his successor.
The French far-right goes all out with Morocco
Behind this rapprochement, there is France’s choice to rely on Morocco to regain a foothold in Africa. But there is also the pressure from the right and the far right, a resolutely anti-Algerian and favorable to Morocco current.
“Morocco that is dear to us“, declared Marine Le Pen, then candidate of the National Rally, during the 2022 presidential election, promising at the same time firmness in the relationship with Algeria.
Several figures from the right and the far-right have openly called on Emmanuel Macron in recent years to “rebalance“its Maghreb policy in favor of”the historic ally” Moroccan, while the French president undertook to open a new page with Algeria.
Even the recognition of the “Moroccanness“of Western Sahara is a demand from this same current. Eric Ciotti, the president of the Republicans who formed an alliance with the RN during the last legislative elections, publicly demanded such recognition during a trip to Rabat in May 2023. Ciotti was accompanied by Moroccan lobbyist Rachida Dati.
The gap is widening with Algiers
This current, resolutely opposed to immigration, is even more so with regard to Algerian immigration, even though the latter is neither more important nor more problematic than Moroccan immigration.
This fixation on Algeria was illustrated by the crusade launched, always by the right and the extreme right, against the Franco-Algerian agreement of 1968 on immigration which, in the opinion of specialists, is far from being decisive for the entry and establishment of Algerians in France.
The French far-right, founded around nostalgic circles of French Algeria, logically chose Morocco. It is also logical that she applauds and blesses the current rapprochement with Rabat which, at the same time, widens the gap between Paris and Algiers.
