How Morocco and Germany Resolved the Three Crisis-Generating Issues?

With an unexpected message, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier put an end to the crisis with Morocco that lasted for about a year, by sending a telegram to Morocco’s King Mohammed VI inviting him to conduct a state visit to Berlin and praising the Kingdom's policy in the files of the Sahara and Libya.

The invitation came on January 5, 2022, after a long angry attitude adopted from Morocco against Berlin. While some believe that Morocco’s decision to face the strong European country was wrong, analysts believe that the Kingdom succeeded in imposing its conditions.

Away from the file of the Sahara and Libya, few observers mention a "mysterious point" in the Morocco and Germany crisis, which the two sides avoid highlighting in public, and their discussions took place behind the scenes avoiding media implication.

 

Reciprocity

In early March 2021, Morocco announced in a statement that it will sever its relations with the German embassy in Rabat, due to “deep differences concerning crucial issues.”

However, the statement did not mention details of the differences that led to the severing of relations with Berlin’s embassy.

Most analysts said that Rabat's stance of severing its relations with the German embassy was closely related to the issue of the Sahara Region.

About two months later, on May 6, 2021, Morocco summoned its ambassador to Berlin, Zohour Alaoui, for consultations, due to what it described as Germany's "negative" position on the Sahara and "Berlin’s attempt to exclude Rabat from regional meetings on Libya (the first Berlin conference in January 2020)."

Germany refused to follow in the footsteps of the United States on the Sahara issue after former US President Donald Trump announced on December 11, 2020, the recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over the disputed Sahara region with the Polisario Front.

Days later, the German side reiterated its adherence to the need to "reach a just, lasting and mutually acceptable solution through the mediation of the United Nations," stressing in a statement issued by the German representative to the United Nations, Christoph Heusgen, that Germany does not adhere to the American initiative.

But, on December 4, 2021, the Moroccan Foreign Minister, in a speech in the House of Councilors (the second chamber of Parliament), said that the relationship of Rabat and Berlin "must comprise clarity and reciprocity."

In the face of the Moroccan escalation, on December 8, the German embassy in Rabat said via Facebook that "it is in the interest of the two countries to restore good and traditionally expanded diplomatic relations."

"In the past few days, as in the past, false information about German-Moroccan relations has been disseminated in various ways," the embassy continued.

A few days later, a statement by the German Foreign Ministry stated, on December 14, that the autonomy scheme constituted an "important contribution" to Morocco in settling the dispute over the Sahara region, after months of "tension" between the two countries.

On December 22, the Moroccan Foreign Ministry welcomed, in a statement, what it said are "constructive positions from Germany", considering that they allow "the resumption of bilateral cooperation and the return of the two countries' embassies to work normally."

It expressed its hope that "these statements will be combined with actions, reflecting a new spirit and giving a new start to the relationship based on clarity and mutual respect."

 

Stress Free

With the new approach of the President of Germany on January 5, 2022, and talking about a breakthrough in bilateral relations between the two countries after Rabat imposed its conditions on Berlin, the researcher in international relations, Nofal al-Baamari, said: "I think that there are no preconditions."

The Moroccan researcher explained to Al-Estiklal that: "During the era of the former Chancellor Angela Merkel, her government chose to adopt political positions hostile to Morocco, which affected Morocco’s security and territorial integrity (the Sahara region), and its vital interests, forcing Rabat to announce positions it deems appropriate and commensurate with the extent of the damage inflicted. Morocco’s positions are politically and diplomatically reaction to Berlin's ones."

He added: "Morocco stopped all forms of security and judicial cooperation in a political decision to announce its rejection of the German moves."

Al-Baamari considered that: "Morocco's position, which has remained constant, seems to have found another echo with the new German government, which expressed its desire to put these differences aside and announced the amendment of its positions, which were affecting the national interest."

He pointed out that: "The new German government (which began its work on December 6, 2021) emphasized that Morocco is the centerpiece of the German-African relationship, and praised its role in the Libyan file, then announced support for the autonomy initiative."

He continued: "This is why these positions found a positive resonance with Moroccan diplomacy, especially after the message of the German president to the King of Morocco, who did not hesitate to respond to it, paving the way for the final folding of the crisis caused by the Merkel government."

Regarding what he called a "diplomatic victory" and a model for other countries to stand up against countries undermining their interests, al-Baamari said: "It is about diplomatic and political choices for each country."

"Morocco, since 2015, has had a choice in building international relations, a choice that stems from the fact that the Moroccan diplomatic decision is a free political decision that is not dependent and cannot be controlled," he added.

Al-Baamari considered that the Moroccan position may constitute a model for emerging and developing countries that wish to liberate their countries from any dependence.

It is noteworthy that Morocco and the Polisario Front dispute sovereignty over the Sahara region. While Rabat insists on its right to control the region proposing expanded autonomy under its sovereignty, the Front calls for a referendum for self-determination, a proposal supported by Algeria, which hosts refugees from the region.

Regarding the claims that there is an “ambiguous point” in the crisis of the two countries, apart from the files of the Sahara and Libya, al-Baamari confirmed this by saying: “Of course, there are many files related to what is security, and to turning Germany into a rear base for attacking and harming Moroccan national institutions, especially security.”

He added: "What is being published by the so-called 'activists' is not related to freedom of opinion and expression, but rather to a systematic attack on Morocco and its officials in a way that is no longer acceptable. This matter needs a different German approach to deal with these voices, respecting the law and protecting the rights of others."

Al-Baamari refers to the former Moroccan detainee on the background of terrorism, Mohamed Hajeb, who holds German citizenship and currently resides in Berlin, where he constantly criticizes, through video clips, the Moroccan authorities.

 

Interpretation of Estrangement

For his part, political analyst Youssef al-Herish said: "Steinmeier's letter is only a political flirtation within the limits of his powers. It is impossible for the President of Germany to utter the file of Mohamed Hajeb before the German judiciary."

In a Facebook post, he indicated that "the recent message of the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs when the relations were cut included three points: the Moroccan Sahara file, the Mohamed Hajeb file, and the Libyan file, meaning that the main file was wrapped in political files."

He pointed out that "the German president spoke only about the Sahara and Libya because they are political files in the first place."

Al-Herish added, "So where is the third file? Didn't I tell you that Germany is a state of independent institutions? Today I confirmed to you what I was saying, the German president does not have the authority to solve the judicial standing files between Morocco and Germany."

For his part, researcher and journalist Younes Meskin said: "A few days ago, specifically since the German Foreign Ministry website published an article on relations with Morocco on December 13, 2021, I returned to reading a number of documents about Berlin's position on the Sahara issue, before Merkel came to power and during her mandate."

He added in a Facebook post: "What happened during Horst Koehler's tenure as Personal Envoy, and the statements of the Foreign Ministers of Morocco and Germany on the occasion of the Moroccan Foreign Minister's visit to Berlin about six years ago…I could not understand what had changed in the German position?"

He stressed that: “I am not against celebrating and being proud of achievements, but I hope that one of the scholars will help us understand, assuming that they are informed so that we can celebrate with them the victory.”

In the same direction, the German website interested in Moroccan affairs, Maghreb Post (based in Cologne), pointed out that "despite the last message, in fact, nothing has happened yet, there are no tangible steps apart from the verbal rapprochement."

It considered in an article published on January 6, 2022, that "Morocco sees itself as an emerging power in North Africa and the brown continent in general, so the temptation for Rabat may be great to see the signals from Berlin successful, to assert a position against the most important country in the European Union."

The German newspaper Express said in a report dated January 6 that the new foreign minister, Annalina Birbock, "played a key role in turning the page on the differences that existed between Morocco and Germany and brought about a real diplomatic revolution."