anger around a map presented in Europe – La Nouvelle Tribune

The territorial conflict in Western Sahara, which has pitted Morocco against the Polisario Front for nearly five decades, is going through a new phase of diplomatic tensions. This territory of 266,000 km², bordered by Morocco, Algeria and Mauritania, remains at the heart of an international legal and political battle. Former Spanish protectorate until 1975, Western Sahara is considered by the UN as a non-autonomous territory awaiting decolonization, while Morocco claims its sovereignty over this region rich in phosphates and fishing resources.

A card that rekindles tensions

A Christmas video conference between Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Spanish military units on mission abroad has sparked a heated controversy. The reason: a map displayed in the background clearly demarcating the borders between Morocco and Western Sahara. This cartographic representation, in accordance with international standards, has provoked the indignation of the Moroccan authorities who see it as a challenge to their territorial claim. The Moroccan press denounces an attack on the territorial integrity of the country and a violation of the bilateral agreement signed between Rabat and Madrid in 2022.

Moroccan diplomacy facing international institutions

Morocco’s diplomatic efforts to have its sovereignty over Western Sahara recognized face major obstacles. International organizations, including the UN and FIFA, persist in using maps distinguishing the two territories. The continued presence of MINURSO, the United Nations mission responsible for organizing a self-determination referendum, testifies to the special status of this territory. The Moroccan strategy, combining diplomatic pressure and controversial methods such as migratory blackmail or the use of spyware, is struggling to convince the international community.

European legal setbacks

The recent cancellation of fishing agreements between Morocco and the European Union by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) illustrates the difficulties encountered by Rabat on the international scene. This decision represents a significant victory for defenders of the Sahrawi cause and underlines the particular attention paid by legal authorities to respect for international law. Pedro Sánchez’s speech on security and national sovereignty, delivered to the Spanish troops, thus takes on a particular symbolic dimension in this context of renewed diplomatic tensions between Madrid and Rabat.