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Join on Telegram Doha – French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has announced that France will send its ambassador to Western Sahara next week to increase its consular presence in the region, marking a significant step in reinforcing France’s recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed territory.
The announcement came yesterday during a press briefing following Barrot’s meeting with his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, in Rabat, as part of the French president’s state visit to Morocco.
“We will stand alongside Morocco to promote a fair and lasting political solution, of which the 2007 Autonomy Plan constitutes the only basis,” Barrot stated. “Our operators and companies will support the development of these territories through investments, sustainable initiatives, and solidarity for the benefit of local populations. Our ambassador will go there next week; we will increase our consular and cultural action in view of creating a French alliance.”
The French foreign minister also highlighted the deep historical ties between France and Morocco, noting that the relationship is “rooted in a shared memory, a common heritage that binds us.”
He recalled the 73,000 Moroccan soldiers who fought to free France from Nazi occupation during World War II and the strong human connections between the two countries, with 700,000 Moroccans living in France and nearly 80,000 French citizens residing in Morocco.
Barrot also talked about the robust economic partnership between the two nations, with France being the largest investor in Morocco and Morocco being the leading African investor in France.
He mentioned the 22 bilateral agreements signed on Monday in the presence of the French president and the King, as well as the approximately twenty agreements signed earlier on Tuesday during the Morocco-France business meeting.
These agreements cover a wide range of areas, and Barrot focused on several key fields for cooperation, including the integration of value chains and industrial ecosystems, green energy, infrastructure, youth and innovation, and migration and mobility management.
During the press briefing, Barrot also mentioned that King Mohammed VI and French President Emmanuel Macron have laid the foundations for a “true refoundation of the strategic partnership” between the two countries during Macron’s ongoing state visit to the kingdom at the invitation of the sovereign.
The French foreign minister stated that this is the ambition of the declaration signed by the two heads of state on Monday evening, which aims to build and develop an exceptional reinforced partnership in all areas.
The declaration outlines three main objectives: political convergence in the face of major contemporary challenges, deepening the economic partnership, particularly in strategic sectors, and strengthening cooperation in terms of human ties, human capital, and culture.
The French foreign minister’s announcement that they will increase consular representation in Western Sahara further reinforces France’s official recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the region, which was first expressed by President Emmanuel Macron in a letter to King Mohammed VI on July 30.
This move solidifies France’s commitment to its stance, transitioning from mere words to concrete actions.
In the letter, Macron stated that “the present and future of Western Sahara fall within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty” and that France’s stance on the matter remains “consistent and unwavering,” aligning with Morocco’s 2007 Autonomy Plan.
Macron reiterated this position yesterday during his speech before the Moroccan Parliament, emphasizing that France’s position is “not hostile to anyone” and is “rooted in history and respectful of realities.”
He also stressed the importance of Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as “the only basis for achieving a just, lasting, and negotiated political solution.”
The establishment of a Consulate General and a French Institute in the southern Moroccan city of Laayoune, as reported by the Institut Géopolitique Horizons (IGH) days before Barrot’s announcement, marks the first European diplomatic representation in the disputed territory.
Read also: France Recognizes Moroccan Sovereignty Over Western Sahara With Official Map Update
