A new report from Friedrich Ebert Stiftung’s “International Politics and Society” magazine outlines several key geopolitical factors driving Morocco’s increasing influence in West Africa.
Authored by Manuel Gath, head of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung office in Morocco, the report highlights Morocco’s role as a stable partner in a volatile region, noting that Rabat has emerged as a crucial security ally in the Sahel, an area beset by multiple crises.
The report attributes Morocco’s growing presence in West Africa to several factors. It points to Morocco’s efforts in promoting moderate Islam through the training of African imams, as well as its strategic security and military cooperation agreements. Economic diplomacy also plays a significant role in expanding Morocco’s influence.
According to the report, the recent withdrawal of French forces from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—prompted by rising anti-French sentiment—has created a security vacuum that Morocco is now filling. Morocco’s expertise in counterterrorism and its military training programs have enabled it to step into this gap, enhancing its influence in the Sahel region and surpassing former colonial powers.
New military regimes in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have welcomed Morocco’s involvement. The Moroccan ambassador to Mali was the first diplomat to reach out to the new leaders, and Niger’s new Prime Minister chose Rabat as the destination for his first foreign visit.
The economic and political sanctions imposed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have further isolated these countries economically. Morocco has leveraged this situation by proposing an Atlantic initiative to support the Sahel nations, offering its infrastructure as part of the solution.
The report also emphasizes Morocco’s view of the Atlantic port of Dakhla as a strategic regional economic hub. Morocco sees this port as a gateway to West Africa, which could strengthen its claims to sovereignty over the Moroccan Sahara.
Despite not being a member of the G5 Sahel—an alliance of Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Chad—Morocco has maintained significant influence through security and military partnerships. The report concludes that Morocco has achieved greater access and communication with the new leadership in the Sahel, exerting considerable influence through its security apparatus.
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