Former Polisario Official: Separatists' demands are exploitative

A former senior Polisario Front official has accused the separatist group of exploiting its claims regarding Morocco’s southern provinces, following its call for the European Union to include the Polisario in future negotiations on trade agreements involving the disputed territories.

In comments to Hespress, Mostafa Salma Ould Sidi Mouloud, a former military leader with the separatist Polisario front, said the group’s demands reveal its true intentions, undermining its previous legal arguments in European courts.

“The Polisario filed a lawsuit with the European judiciary claiming that the regions of Saguia el-Hamra and Oued Eddahab are separate from Morocco and not autonomous, arguing that their resources should not be exploited without consulting their inhabitants,” Sidi Mouloud explained.

“However, the group is now seeking to participate in negotiations over these agreements, showing that its real concern is self-serving rather than advocating for the rights of local residents.”

Sidi Mouloud, who resides in Mauritania, criticized the Polisario’s interpretation of the European Court of Justice’s decision, which emphasized consulting local populations. “Most of the region’s inhabitants live in Morocco. The court’s ruling did not change this reality, yet the Polisario is attempting to use its inclusion in the case as proof of its authority to represent the people—an unfounded assumption.”

The former official further argued that the Polisario’s primary goal is to gain recognition as the legitimate representative of the Sahrawis. “Neither the EU nor any of its member states will grant it such recognition,” he said.

He also highlighted the contradiction in the group’s stance, pointing out its offer to issue special fishing licenses to Spanish fishermen in Moroccan waters. “This move exposes the Polisario’s willingness to negotiate in exchange for financial benefit, contradicting its original claims of defending Sahrawi interests,” Sidi Mouloud added.

On the recent dissolution of the European Parliament’s joint “Western Sahara” group, Sidi Mouloud noted that the body’s role in the Sahara issue is largely symbolic. “The end of this group reflects the declining influence of the Polisario’s narrative and Algeria’s weakened diplomacy, particularly in Europe’s northern Mediterranean region,” he said.

Sidi Mouloud contrasted the situations of Morocco and Algeria, stating: “Despite Algeria’s vast oil wealth, Morocco has built stronger international trust and stability, tipping the scales in its favor.”

The EU’s trade agreements with Morocco, including those involving the southern provinces, have faced repeated legal challenges from the Polisario, aiming to complicate negotiations and trade protocols between Rabat and Brussels. However, the Kingdom’s European trade partners have unilaterally assured their intent to maintain the positive bilateral economic partnerships with Morocco.