France has officially recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, marking a significant policy change that could boost investment in the disputed, mineral-rich region but may heighten tensions with neighboring Algeria. President Emmanuel Macron conveyed this decision in a letter to Moroccan King Mohammed VI, stating that “autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty” is the framework for resolving the issue. This decision ended France’s long-standing neutrality on Western Sahara, contested since Spain relinquished control in 1975. While Morocco seeks control of the territory, the Polisario Front seeks autonomy on behalf of the local Sahrawi people. Before the declaration of a ceasefire in 1991, clashes between both groups claimed around 9,000 lives. That ceasefire ended in 2020, with the US recognizing Morocco’s claim in exchange for Morocco recognizing Israel. Algeria, which supports the Polisario Front, disapproved of France’s move and tagged the decision “counterproductive.”
SOURCE: BLOOMBERG
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