Airbnb Alters Listings on Morocco's Southern Provinces After Foreign Interference
The move represents a troubling capitulation to political manipulation that ignores the reality on the ground, as the platform quietly updated its website after receiving a letter from Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW).
Responding to WSRW, a network of foreign activists with no connection to the region, Airbnb has removed cities like Laayoune, Dakhla, and Boujdour, which have been integral parts of Morocco for decades.
Foreign interference in Morocco's domestic affairs
WSRW's letter to Airbnb on June 13, 2025, represents yet another attempt by foreign activists to interfere in Morocco's internal affairs.
The organization, which operates from European capitals, has no legitimate status to dictate how international companies should label Moroccan territory.
Erik Hagen of WSRW has celebrated what he called a 'first step,' revealing the group's ultimate goal: to economically isolate Morocco's southern provinces and undermine the development projects that have transformed the region.
The move reveals foreign lobbied interference seeking to undermine Morocco's territorial integrity. Algeria's regime continues to lead lobbying efforts, spending billions of dollars to challenge Morocco's territorial integrity by backing the Polisario Front.
WSRW's celebration of Airbnb's decision as aligning with 'international court rulings' ignores the growing international recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over its southern provinces.
Read also: Kenya-Morocco Relations Strengthen Following Nairobi's Newfound Sahara Position
Morocco has been garnering increasing international support for its sovereignty over provinces in Western Sahara.
A growing number of countries have endorsed Morocco's autonomy initiative, exceeding 115 countries, including major international powers like the US, UK, France, and Spain.
Multiple countries have opened consulates in the region, and major international agreements acknowledge Morocco's administrative control.
Airbnb's decision is likely to receive a response, not only from the government but also from Moroccans.
Many Moroccans use Airbnb to book accommodations across the country.
Moroccans are known to respond swiftly to such moves, often launching campaigns that don't go unnoticed.
Recently, Glovo drivers in Morocco staged protests after the company displayed a map that excluded the country's southern provinces.
The demonstrations gained traction both online and on the ground, prompting Glovo to issue a statement blaming the incident on a technical error and claiming the issue had been resolved.
The incident echoes Morocco's consistent stance, emphasizing that the Sahara dossier is the lens through which the country views all international relations and national priorities.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Morocco World
2 hours ago
- Morocco World
Chinese Auto Supplier Kuntai to Invest $13.7 Million in Moroccan Factory
Marrakech – Chinese automotive interior materials manufacturer Kuntai has announced plans to establish a production facility in Morocco through its subsidiary Kuntai Hongjing Co Ltd. The project represents a total investment of 100 million RMB (approximately $13.7 million or MAD 126.5 million) and will focus on manufacturing car floor mats and carpets for vehicles. The new Moroccan facility will integrate research and development, production, and sales operations for automotive floor mats. The company will also develop a service network in Europe to meet regional customer needs. This strategic move aims to strengthen Kuntai's international development strategy and reinforce its presence in the European market. The project will be implemented in phases, with deployment depending on market evolution and operational progress. It will be financed through the company's own funds without significant debt. The Moroccan factory follows Kuntai's international expansion roadmap, which already includes a production site in Mexico established in 2024 that serves the North American market. Kuntai specializes in tufted and non-woven carpets for the automotive industry. The company supplies Chinese manufacturers like BYD, Xiaomi Auto, Li Auto, and NIO, as well as European (Audi, Volvo, Land Rover, BMW), Japanese (Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Nissan), and American (General Motors, Tesla) automakers. Its product range includes floor mats, wheel covers, spare wheel covers, engine protection plates, and seat back covers. In the first quarter of 2025, Kuntai recorded revenue of $178.6 million and a net profit of $900,000. The Moroccan investment represents less than one quarter of its revenue but constitutes a strategic development axis targeting the European market. Morocco's geographic proximity to European markets like France and Spain, combined with free trade agreements with the European Union, provides far-reaching advantages. Products exported from Morocco benefit from duty-free access, which Kuntai notes 'significantly reduces arrival costs and neutralizes the effects of anti-dumping measures.' Maritime transport from Morocco reduces shipping distance to Europe by 80% compared to exports from China and cuts logistics costs by more than 60%, according to internal data cited in the company's announcement. Additionally, Morocco's lower labor costs compared to European countries contribute to product competitiveness, while the local regulatory framework offers incentives for foreign investors. According to Kuntai's 2024 annual report, international sales represented only 10.95% of revenue, with the Chinese domestic market accounting for 89.05%. The Moroccan facility will help rebalance production between China, Mexico, and Morocco, with each covering a major geographic region of the automotive market. The global automotive carpet market is valued between $166 billion and $189 billion. North America represents approximately $41 billion of this market, while Europe accounts for about $24 billion. Kuntai aims to capture a share of these markets through its two new factories. The company also reports expected profitability improvements, stating that the export gross margin rate reaches 35.05%, compared to 25.55% in the domestic market. Kuntai anticipates that Moroccan production will significantly improve the group's overall profitability while enhancing delivery times and product diversity. Read also: Stellantis Strengthens Presence in Morocco with €1.2 Billion Project Tags: chinese investments in MoroccoMorocco's automotive sector
Ya Biladi
3 hours ago
- Ya Biladi
Chinese manufacturer Kuntai to set up car carpet factory in Morocco, investing MAD 126.5 million
Chinese manufacturer Kuntai has announced plans to establish a subsidiary and production base in Morocco through its wholly owned subsidiary, Kuntai Hongjing Co., Ltd. The plan, announced at the end of July, involves a total investment of up to 100 million RMB (approximately 126.5 million Moroccan dirhams). The new facility will serve as a car carpet production and development platform targeting the European market. The investment will support research, development, production, and sales activities, while also enabling the construction of a localized service network in Europe to better serve regional customers. This initiative is part of Kuntai's broader global expansion strategy, complementing its existing production bases in China and Mexico. The project remains subject to government approvals and may face certain operational risks and uncertainties. Founded in 1985, Kuntai Group specializes in the production and R&D of technical textile machinery, including laminating, cutting, and bronzing machines. The company serves a wide range of industries, from automotive interiors to military and footwear.
Morocco World
4 hours ago
- Morocco World
UK Recognized Morocco's Sovereignty Over Western Sahara Back in 1721
Marrakech – 'Morocco's rule over Western Sahara is widely accepted,' declared a recent The Guardian headline, reflecting the growing international consensus behind the North African country's territorial integrity. This acknowledgment recalls a centuries-old reality: Britain's recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara dates back to the Treaty of Friendship of 1721. The historic treaty, signed in Fez on January 23, 1721, during the reign of King George I, explicitly addresses Morocco's Sultan Moulay Ismail as 'King of Fez, Mequinez, Morocco, and all the West of Africa.' This unambiguous diplomatic language confirms that Britain considered the territories now known as Western Sahara (Sakia El Hamra and Rio de Oro) as integral parts of Morocco's sovereign domain – a conclusive historical proof of Morocco's legitimate territorial rights. The Anglo-Moroccan alliance, one of the world's oldest diplomatic relationships, originated even earlier with correspondence between Queen Elizabeth I and Sultan Ahmad al-Mansour in the late 16th century. This foundation of strategic trust predated Morocco's Treaty of Peace and Friendship with the United States by several decades, testifying to the kingdom's long-standing status as a fully sovereign and globally respected nation. Beyond that, the UK was the sole European power that, prior to Morocco's subjugation by France and Spain in 1912, had signed the treaty of March 13, 1895, explicitly recognizing present-day Western Sahara as Moroccan territory. Britain later betrayed this recognition when it colluded with France in the secret agreement of April 1904, permitting France to grant Spain a 'sphere of influence' in southern Morocco without consulting the kingdom – despite Morocco remaining an independent, sovereign country. This historical treachery culminated in the Franco-Spanish agreement of October 1904 that handed Spain the Sahara in 'full possession and sovereignty' – a colonial land grab executed without Morocco's consent. The dispute was manufactured through European imperial machinations, not through any legitimate question of territorial sovereignty. Britain's recent support for Morocco's Autonomy Plan obliterates this colonial-era injustice, albeit after a shameful period of diplomatic equivocation. World rejects Algeria's proxy game In June, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy and his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita signed a joint communiqué recognizing Morocco's autonomy proposal as 'the most credible, viable and pragmatic basis for a lasting resolution of the dispute.' This decisive British stance follows similar endorsements from the United States under President Trump and France under President Macron. As Andrew Rosemarine noted in his The Guardian letter, 'The majority of the population in the Sahara welcomes Morocco's sovereignty and development of its economy.' The UK's declaration represents another crushing blow to Algeria's disintegrating separatist agenda. The Algerian regime, a military junta cobbled together merely 62 years ago, continues to desperately cling to its bankrupt project while Morocco boasts an 800-year history of diplomatic relations with Britain. Algeria's stunted foreign policy establishment now finds itself increasingly cornered and besieged, responding with feeble, unconvincing statements that expose its deepening isolation. Algeria's military rulers, utterly devoid of legitimacy, have constructed their entire political identity around an artificial conflict engineered to undermine Morocco. The faltering Algerian regime stubbornly props up the Polisario Front, a proxy militia increasingly condemned as a terrorist organization. Even more damning, Algiers contemptuously turned a deaf ear to King Mohammed VI's extended olive branch in his recent throne day speech – a telling demonstration of a regime pathologically incapable of pursuing regional peace and prosperity. The recent initiative in the US Congress to officially designate the Polisario as a terrorist group has sent shockwaves through Algiers, unmasking the regime's complicity with extremism under the cynical guise of 'self-determination.' The recent avalanche of international declarations supporting Morocco's territorial integrity signals the death knell for Algeria's separatist fantasy. The UK's forceful backing, coming just after Kenya abandoned its pro-Polisario stance, pushes Morocco to the brink of total victory in this decades-long conflict. The British commitment of five billion pounds for development projects throughout Morocco, specifically including the southern provinces, demolishes any remaining pretense about London's position on Morocco's sovereignty. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Britain's backing carries exceptional weight. This historical correction with sweeping strategic implications arrives at a particularly humiliating moment for Algeria – during its temporary membership on the Security Council, where it had foolishly hoped to sabotage Morocco's diplomatic momentum. The three European powers most responsible for the genesis of the conflict – France, Spain, and the UK – have now surrendered to Morocco's position, acknowledging both historical reality and strategic necessity. This irreversible shift in the global consensus proves that Morocco's approach to resolving the territorial dispute has triumphed over Algeria's obsolete separatist fantasies. The Algerian regime, drowning in its diplomatic failures, now watches helplessly as its fabricated narrative crumbles. The Kabranat (military officers) in Algiers are experiencing one of their most severe moments of diplomatic disorientation following the political earthquake triggered by the US Congress initiative. The military rulers who have staked their existence on nurturing a 'hybrid separatist project' now stand naked before the world, scrambling between American congressional offices, desperately attempting to swallow the catastrophe before it's permanently recorded in international registries. Tags: Morocco and the UKWestern sahara
