France supports Morocco’s proposal to make the Sahara the “only basis” for resolving the conflict

France aligns itself with Morocco and supports its autonomy plan for Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty, saying it is the “only basis” for resolving the conflict over the former Spanish colony.

Morocco’s royal cabinet first announced the significant French shift in foreign policy through a letter sent by President Emmanuel Macron to Morocco’s King Mohammed VI. The Elysee has later confirmed the authenticity of the letter.

The Moroccan royal cabinet reports that this support has been officially expressed in a letter sent on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the coronation of Mohammed VI, which is this Tuesday.

France has not commented publicly on the matter, but Algeria issued a statement a few days ago confirming and condemning France’s change in foreign policy.

“The Algerian government has learned with great regret and deep disapproval about the unexpected, unjustified and counterproductive decision of the French government to give its clear and unreserved support to the autonomy plan for Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty,” the Algerian ministry said. The foreign ministry said it was made aware of the decision through “official communication from the French authorities.”

This maneuver is reminiscent of Spain’s change of stance, which was first announced by Morocco through a letter from Pedro Sánchez to the monarch. In his case, Sánchez defined the autonomy plan as “the most serious, realistic and credible” proposal.

In an excerpt from the letter published by Morocco, France believes that the autonomy plan for Western Sahara is “the only basis for achieving a political, fair, sustainable and negotiated solution” and that it also complies with UN resolutions.

Although France has no relations with the Polisario, according to what Morocco has published, Macron has “called on all parties to meet with a view to a political solution, which is within reach.” “The present and future of Western Sahara are part of the framework of Moroccan sovereignty.”

The French president does not say it explicitly, but his commitment in favor of Morocco’s autonomy plan and ultimately Moroccan sovereignty over the former Spanish colony means that he rejects the possible organization of a self-determination referendum (supported by the UN), a historical claim of the Polisario for Sahrawi refugees who have lived for decades on Algerian territory.

Behind this turn by Paris, which for years had opted for the autonomy plan but did not go so far as to consider it “the only basis” to end the conflict, is the role it gives strategically to its bilateral relations with Morocco from a multiple perspective.

As well as confirmation of the movements that have taken place in recent years in the international community, including clear support for Morocco from fundamental partners such as the United States and Spain, as well as from African countries.

Equally significant is the economic growth that has taken place in Western Sahara in recent years as a result of investment efforts by Rabat, which controls the vast majority of the territory.

In his letter to Mohammed VI, Macron congratulated Morocco precisely on these efforts and stressed that “it is an imperative to continue the economic and social development of the region” and added that France would support this movement “for the benefit of the local population”, according to Morocco.

The French President intends to establish the idea that Morocco’s autonomy plan to guarantee its sovereignty over Western Sahara is compatible with all the mediation work carried out by the United Nations.

In this regard, he assured that he “supports” the action of the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, and his Personal Envoy for this conflict, Staffan de Mistura, in what he calls “a renewed regional integration process that favors cooperation, stability and prosperity in the Maghreb.”

One of the main questions that remains open with this inflection from Paris is the reaction of Algeria, the main support of the Polisario, which last week already began crying to the skies anticipating the turn that France was going to take, communicating the possible intention of trying to avoid a bilateral crisis.

Macron is confident that the importance of this bilateral relationship for both sides will prevent a repeat of the reaction that Algiers had to formally break off contacts with Spain when Madrid aligned itself with the same Moroccan autonomy plan.