Germany’s ruling left-wing coalition reiterated its support to Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara, according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock in response to a written question in Parliament.
As the country is preparing to host the 46th edition of the European Conference of Solidarity and Support for the Sahrawi People (EUCOCO), Polisario supporters in Germany condemn the “de facto recognition” of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara by the government.
In a 15-page document, the Federal Republic’s executive clarified its position on the subject after questions from a far-left MP Sevim Dağdelen from the DIE LINKE party, doubling down on the recent German diplomatic policy reversal in favor of Morocco.
With the autonomy proposal, “Morocco has made an important contribution to achieving a political solution within the framework of the United Nations,” the German Minister wrote in response to the question.
The German head of diplomacy’s response insisted that “the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco in 2007 can make an important contribution to a solution.”
Deputy Dagdelen, a member of the Foreign Affairs Commission in Parliament, responded by demanding that the German executive give the same treatment to the Polisario proposal, presented in 2007 at the United Nations.
A proposal that the UN had only “taken note” of, without any further details or comments about the polisario’s submission, which only insists on a referendum, a solution long forgotten by all international actors.
The German Minister of Foreign Affairs had avoided MP Sevim Dagdelen’s last written question on the Western Sahara issue last June.
Baerbock pointed out that “under international law, the status of Western Sahara is not yet determined,” and that “from the point of view of the federal government, it is in the interest of both parties to continue to deepen the close and good bilateral relations,” she explained.
A productive reconciliation
Back on February 16 this year, the Head of Moroccan diplomacy Nasser Bourita met for the first time with his German counterpart, nearly a year after a diplomatic crisis.
In March 2021, Morocco decided to suspend all contact with the German embassy in Rabat and freeze relations with Berlin.
The change of government in Germany in December 2021 however, resulted in the resolution of this dispute.
Shortly after the elections, the German Foreign Ministry issued a statement declaring that “Morocco has made an important contribution to the resolution of the Sahara conflict through the autonomy plan.”
Then, German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier addressed a letter to King Mohammed VI expressing his desire to “strengthen their strategic partnership,” inviting the monarch to make a state visit to Berlin.
More recently, German FM Baerbock visited Rabat on August 25, where she held talks with Nasser Bourita.
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