RABAT: French President Emmanuel Macron renewed France’s support for Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara on Tuesday and pledged French investment in the largely Moroccan-controlled but disputed territory.
Speaking to the Moroccan parliament on Tuesday during a state visit, Macron said that the “present and future” of Western Sahara lie under “Moroccan sovereignty,” pledging French corporate support for local development initiatives.
The United Nations recognizes Western Sahara as a “non-self-governing territory” and maintains a peacekeeping mission there, aimed at organizing a referendum on the region’s future. However, Morocco has consistently rejected any referendum option that includes independence.
On the first day of his three-day visit, Macron and Moroccan officials signed several agreements, including those related to energy and infrastructure projects, amounting to a total investment of “up to 10 billion euros”.
Relations between France and Morocco had been strained, particularly after France reduced the number of visas issued to Moroccan citizens in 2021.
