France : «Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara no longer up for discussion»
French Minister for European Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, is set to meet with his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, on April 14 in Paris. Last week, Barrot had already mentioned this upcoming meeting with Bourita to MPs, although he did not specify the date. The meeting was confirmed by French authorities during a press conference yesterday, Thursday. This encounter is part of the new Franco-Moroccan partnership, officially relaunched in October 2024 after several months of diplomatic tensions.
?? #France reaffirms its recognition of #Morocco 's sovereignty over the #Sahara pic.twitter.com/cJrHtZZOda
— Yabiladi.com (@yabiladi_fr) April 11, 2025
When asked by a Spanish journalist about the reasons for this visit, the spokesperson for the Quai d'Orsay clarified that the trip had been «planned for a long time» and aimed to «address topics of common interest» between the two countries, without providing further details.
Pressed further by the same journalist regarding France's position on the Sahara issue, Paris made its stance clear. «Now that France has recognized Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara, it is no longer a topic of discussion» between the French and Moroccan Foreign Ministers, the ministry's spokesperson stated.
The announcement of the meeting coincides with a United Nations Security Council briefing on the Sahara issue, scheduled for the same day, April 14. France holds the presidency of the Security Council for the month of April.
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