Can France restore Morocco ties without shifting on Western Sahara?

Analysis

Rina Bassist

Mar 3, 2024

French President Emmanuel Macron (L) escorts King Mohammed VI of Morocco (C) and Crown Prince of Morocco, Moulay Hassan as they leave the Elysee palace on December 12, 2017 in Paris, following a lunch hosted by the French President as part of the One Planet Summit. The French President hosts 50 world leaders for the "One Planet Summit", hoping to jump-start the transition to a greener economy two years after the historic Paris agreement to limit climate change. (Photo by ALAIN JOCARD / AFP) (Photo by ALAIN — French President Emmanuel Macron (L) escorts King Mohammed VI of Morocco (C) and Crown Prince of Morocco, Moulay Hassan as they leave the Elysee palace on December 12, 2017 in Paris, following a lunch hosted by the French President as part of the One Planet Summit. — ALAIN JOCARD/AFP via Getty Images

PARIS — France and Morocco are trying to move past three years of tension, disputes between their leaders and diplomatic disagreements, though Paris says that its policy on the Western Sahara region has not changed.

Over 800,000 Moroccan immigrants currently live in France. It's the second-largest community in the country after Algerians. Most of the big French companies are present in Morocco. French exports to Morocco amounted to $6.66 billion during 2022, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.

With such strong societal, historic, commercial and cultural relations, the rift between the country's leaders is remarkable. The personal relationship between the king and French President Emmanuel Macron deteriorated over the past few years over a series of incidents, impacting bilateral relations. The disputed Western Sahara region is also a sensitive bilateral issue.

After Spain relinquished control over Western Sahara in 1975, the Polisario Front proclaimed its independence. Morocco, on the other hand, considers the region an integral part of its territory. In 2007, Morocco proposed an autonomy plan that received the support of several European countries including France. Encouraging Morocco to renew its diplomatic ties with Israel as part of 2020 Abraham Accords, US President Donald Trump recognized Moroccan sovereignty over the region.