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Morocco racks up more diplomatic wins, sidelining Algiers
Africa Confidential
Portugal’s decision to support Morocco’s autonomy plan for the disputed territory of Western Sahara sees Lisbon joins a lengthening list led by the United States, France, Spain and Britain as well as several African countries, including Ghana and Kenya.
Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel described Morocco’s plan as a ‘serious and credible basis’ for Western Sahara’s future, following a meeting with Nasser Bourita in Rabat, echoing the message of France and Spain. Publicly, Germany and the European Commission have so far maintained their neutrality. In private, the Commission views Morocco as its most reliable partner in North Africa and has repeatedly flouted European Court of Justice rulings that its trade deals with Morocco must not encompass Western Sahara.
Morocco’s diplomatic ascendancy is as much a reverse for Algeria as the Polisario Front. As well as strengthening its trade and diplomatic links with Europe and negotiating a formal pact with the EU on migration, Morocco has wooed the Sahelian military juntas on its southern border in recent months. Relations between Algiers and Mali cooled after the junta in Bamako unilaterally abrogated the Algiers agreement with the Tuareg. Diplomatic relations between Brussels and Algiers are close to zero. Algeria is the only country in the region with which the EU does not have a migration cooperation arrangement – and doesn’t seem to want one.
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