The UK must offer its full support to Morocco and recognize its sovereignty over the Sahara. The comments come from British MP Liam Fox.
“Before my visit to Morocco, I sent a written letter to the British Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, to draw his attention to the delay that the United Kingdom has taken on the issue compared to the United States,” Fox said in an interview with Medi1TV . “We must offer our full support to Morocco and recognize its sovereignty over the Sahara,” he said, underlining that, in addition to the economic opportunities this offers, “this is an important element for the stability and security of the region.
British recognition of the Moroccan nature of the Sahara is also important for the fight against irregular immigration, he assured, explaining that such recognition “would therefore be part of a win-win partnership”. “Through my letter, I wanted to draw Cameron’s attention to this issue as he took office, as well as the importance of this issue to our bilateral relations,” Fox noted. “I reminded Mr Cameron, who is a friend of mine and whose government I was part of when he was Prime Minister, of Morocco’s importance on the multilateral scene both politically and economically,” he said. “More and more British MPs are convinced of Morocco’s approach to resolving this dispute. They are also a little frustrated with the little progress London has made on the issue,” Fox said. According to him, it is the realism of the Moroccan approach that allows progress on the issue.
Constant evolution
Furthermore, Fox estimated that relations between Morocco and the United Kingdom are constantly evolving, underlining that Morocco is increasingly attractive for foreign direct investments (FDI) thanks in particular “to its geostrategic importance, as several countries see it like a door to Africa. And she added that the UK’s exit from the EU is seen as an opportunity for London to develop trade relations with our partners and that “Morocco is a priority country for the UK in economic, trade and political terms foreign. His Majesty King Mohammed VI has ensured the implementation of an ingenious strategy which must serve as a model for the creation of an investment-friendly environment, as well as for economic reforms and the structuring of projects relating to energy, renewable energy, desalination of water, as well as increased agricultural production and GDP, Fox noted. The Sovereign was also at the origin of human capital development and it is all these achievements that make Morocco a priority partner for many countries, including the United Kingdom, he said.
Morocco presents itself as an international crossroads and gateway to Africa, above all because it has excellent bilateral relations with many countries on the continent, added the conservative MP. “Casablanca is establishing itself as an international aviation hub and as the only way to reach several African capitals from the UK,” he noted.
Thus Morocco, thanks to its numerous commercial partnerships, will be able to facilitate trade between Europe and Africa, Fox concluded. Asked about his 2023 visit to Dakhla, Fox said he was “impressed by the development of the city’s educational and health infrastructure, not forgetting the port of Dakhla which will be an essential link in African trade.” The Moroccan Sahara demonstrates that economic development is the best way to escape from conflicts and war towards coexistence and a sustainable future, he underlined, ensuring that “this is a very important message for young people and an example that can be played in different regions of the world.
2024-01-09 08:37:20
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