Hubert Védrine, former French Foreign Minister and former Secretary General of the Élysée, believes that "the Moroccans have been smart in taking advantage of the period between Trump and Biden", during which the United States recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara in exchange for the normalization of relations with Israel.
Spain is concerned about Morocco’s agricultural development in the Sahara. The kingdom plans to use 5,000 hectares of greenhouses in this region over the next decade to compete with Murcia and Almeria in the European fruit and vegetable market.
Spain is not about to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara. It fears that the kingdom will claim Ceuta and Melilla.
The issue of the Moroccan Sahara is a concern for the current occupant of the White House. State Department spokesman Ned Price stated that the Biden administration, while distancing itself from that of its predecessor, says it continues consultations with all stakeholders on this issue.
The Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, denounced on Wednesday the attitude of the Spanish government aimed at "Europeanizing an exclusively bilateral crisis" that persists between Morocco and Spain. For the minister, this is a flight of responsibility on the part of Madrid.
After the National Security Medal, former U.S. Ambassador David Fischer receives a new distinction for his actions in favor of the kingdom during his diplomatic mission in Morocco. The diplomat is this time made a Commander of the Order of the Alaouite Wissam by King Mohammed VI.
The General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) has just unveiled the schedule of African Lion 2021. Part of this Moroccan-American combined exercise will take place in the Mahbès area, in the Moroccan Sahara.
Beyond the reception in April of Brahim Ghali, the leader of the Polisario Front, by Spain, the Sahara is the main cause of the current diplomatic crisis between Morocco and Spain.
Saïd Ayachi, president of the Algerian Committee for Support to the Sahrawi People (CNASPS), reacted to the evacuation of the Polisario leader, Brahim Ghali, to his return to Algeria and the diplomatic crisis between Morocco and Spain. The Algerian official describes Morocco as a "rogue state".
The diplomatic crisis between Morocco and Germany has shattered the agreement linking the two countries on green hydrogen. The "deep misunderstandings" between Rabat and Berlin, particularly on the Sahara, have still not been resolved.
Spain is willing to work to restore relations with Morocco, but it maintains its position on the sovereignty of Western Sahara. This is what Carmen Calvo, the first deputy prime minister, indicated on Wednesday.
Morocco did not include Spain on the list of participants in the 2021 edition of the African Lion military exercise, organized annually by the kingdom, in collaboration with the US military command for Africa (Africom).