Sergei Lavrov’s recent statements on Western Sahara highlight the firm attitude of Russia, which appears to want to reaffirm its ambitions in North Africa. Words that Rabat is trying to temper, while assuming its active role in several parts of Africa.
During a recent press conference, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs raised the sensitive issue of Western Sahara, specifying that his country would remain guided by “the resolutions of the UN Security Council” and that this crisis “should be resolved on the basis of the principle of self-determination.
-Statements which did not fail to provoke numerous reactions among observers of Moroccan political life. According to them, Lavrov’s remarks do not mark a real change in Russia’s position, historically opposed to Western positions, but are part of a context where Moscow seeks to compensate for its loss of influence in the Middle East by reinvesting in North Africa. Thus, Lavrov may want to reassure Algeria, a historic ally, and reaffirm the sustainability of their strategic partnership.
The Moroccan presence, which is intensifying in regions such as the Sahel and West Africa, would also arouse concern in Russia, whose interests on the continent clash with those of Western powers.
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