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Morocco World
3 days ago
- Politics
- Morocco World
Rwanda's Sahara Position: Algeria Caught Again Fabricating Misleading Facts
Rabat – Algeria's regime has again been caught red-handed disseminating false information regarding Rwanda's alleged support for the Polisario Front's separatist agenda in Western Sahara. The regime's mouthpiece media echoed disinformation in which the separatist group claimed that President Paul Kagame had reaffirmed Kigali's support for its self-determination and referendum claims in recent comments. Pro-Polisario websites, including Algeria's regime press agency, claimed that the comments came while President Kagame and his Algerian counterpart, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, exchanged views on tensions and conflicts in Africa. During that exchange, they claimed, both leaders stressed their allegedly shared'support for the Sahrawi people and their right to self-determination through a free, fair, and transparent referendum.' Yet these claims were clearly and directly refuted by Kigali merely hours after the Polisario press and Algeria's news agency had run their reports, once again dealing another setback to Algeria's besieged and increasingly exposed narrative on the Sahara dispute. In stark contrast to the statement reported by the Algerian state media, Kagama's official website published a communique detailing his remarks with no explicit or implicit mention of Rwanda's support for the Polisario. To Algeria's dismay, this reflects a direct contradiction to the Algerian regime's disinformation campaign seeking to challenge Morocco's territorial integrity and sovereignty over its southern provinces. The embarrassing move further exposes Algeria's growing desperation to derail Morocco's deepening momentum on the Sahara dispute. The Moroccan Autonomy Plan has gained massive international backing over the past few years and months, with a growing cohort of countries applauding the Moroccan proposal as the most serious and credible political roadmap to end the dispute over Western Sahara. The latest such backing came from one of the UN Security Council's Permanent members, the UK, which on Sunday expressed its support for Morocco's autonomy plan as the most viable path to a lasting and politically realistic resolution of the lingering territorial dispute. While Rwanda is one of the few countries that still recognizes the self-styled SADR, the country does not embrace Algeria's consistently combatively anti-Moroccan narrative and attitude. In fact , following King Mohammed VI's historic visit to Rwanda in 2016, Rabat and Kigali have constantly pledged to strengthen relations at many levels. In particular, discussions have explored the need to expand bilateral ties on agriculture, trade, and high-level political cooperation on a wide range of strategic challenges facing the continent. T he two countries signed several agreements during the royal visit, including a Memoranda of Understanding on a political consultation mechanism, an air service agreement, an agreement on the exemption of visas, and a deal on security cooperation and tourism. In recent years, the two countries have constantly stressed the importance of maintaining or improving their bilateral cooperation at all levels. This new spirit of mutual support was particularly on display when Rwanda supported Morocco's return to the African Union in 2017. This latest fabricated news from the Algerian and Polisario media shows their desperation to undermine Morocco's growing momentum in the Sahara dossier. However, as more and more countries embrace the Moroccan autonomy proposal as the best chance for peace and prosperity in the region, or simply recognise Morocco's historical legitimacy, many observers believe that Algeria's constant attempts to challenge Morocco's growing momentum will not restore the prestige and legitimacy the exposed Algerian narrative once enjoyed. Tags: Algeria and the Western Saharaautonomy plan
Morocco World
02-03-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Spanish King, Government Under Scrutiny for Diplomatic Fouls Impacting Morocco-Spain Ties
Rabat — Spain is facing sharp criticism, with many expressing concerns that repeated diplomatic missteps could again cause a diplomatic crisis with Morocco. Viral videos show Polisario leader Brahim Ghali flashing a large smile as he poses with Yolanda Diaz, who serves as Spain's second deputy prime minister and labor minister. Pro-Polisario activists, as well as Polisario and Algeria affiliated media targeting Morocco's diplomatic gains also claimed that Spanish King Felipe VI greeted Brahim Ghali during the inauguration of Uruguay's new leftist president on Saturday. Brahim Ghali's appearance next to Yolanda Diaz comes as no surprise as the minister is known for her hostile remarks and approach against Morocco. Last year in April, Diaz described Morocco as a 'dictatorship country.' Diaz, who is from the new far-left coalition Sumar, said that she will 'certainly repudiate' all the agreements Morocco and Spain signed in recent months if she is ever elected as Prime Minister. The reports of King Felipe VI greeting the Polisario leader, however, could re-ignite a new episode of tensions between Rabat and Madrid. Timeline of tensions The Spanish government is well aware of the importance of the Western Sahara dossier for Morocco. The North African country showed a strong position against Spain's unilateral decision to host the Polisario leader for hospitalization in April 2021. Ghali traveled to Spain using a fake name — Mohammed Ben Battouch — to avoid arrest. He he has been wanted in Spain for war crimes, terrorism, and kidnapping lawsuits filed by Spanish families and Sahrawis who were subject to torture in the Polisario-controlled Tindouf camps run by the Algerian regime. Sanchez' government did not bother to notify Morocco, one of its main trade partners, about its arrangement with Algeria on Ghali's travel plan. It was not until April 23, 2021 when former Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya decided to make the news public, stating that Ghali was transferred to Spain for 'purely humanitarian reasons in order to receive health care.' Morocco's Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded on Spain's unilateral decision by summoning Madrid's ambassador in Rabat for consultation. Rabat expressed disappointment with Marid, saying that the hospitalization of Ghali is against the 'spirit of partnership and good neighborliness and which concerns a fundamental use for the Moroccan people and its vital forces.' Since then, the two countries experienced deteriorating tensions, which resulted in Spain trying to open dialogue with the North African country to mend bilateral ties. It was not until March 2022 that ties between the two countries restored normalcy, when Spain took a historic decision to officially endorse Morocco's Autonomy Plan as the most serious and credible political solution to end the dispute over Western Sahara. The announcement also followed a trip by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to Morocco, where he met with King Mohammed VI. However, their relationship is not fully out of stormy waters, especially after the Spanish media's campaign targeting Morocco for slow customs reopening between the two countries, in which they accused the North African country of making obstacles. Last month, however, Spain's Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska strongly rejected the claims, saying: 'What I make clear is that the degree of Spanish-Moroccan cooperation and collaboration is manifestly important, relevant, and of the utmost loyalty and reliability.' Similar remarks have been made by Spanish government officials, including Pedro Sanchez. However, Spain has made other diplomatic blunders. In December 2024, Sanchez ignited controversy after appearing in front of a divided Moroccan map during his Christmas message. This raised questions about Spain's actual position on the Sahara dispute. The divided map, which omits Morocco's southern provinces, is against the country's territorial integrity and contradicts the 2022 Morocco-Spain agreement, which resolved the year-long crisis between the two countries. It remains to be seen whether the Spanish government will reject the claims promoted by pro-Polisario activists or this will be another episode of diplomatic crisis between Rabat and Madrid. Tags: Algeria and polisarioAlgeria and Western Sahara
