French Culture Minister Rachida Dati arrived in the disputed region of Western Sahara on Monday, where she is set to meet local officials and inaugurate a French cultural centre, signalling strong support for Morocco’s sovereignty over the contested territory.
This visit comes amid the long-standing conflict between Morocco, which claims the region as its own, and the Polisario Front, an Algerian-backed independence movement.
The visit follows France’s recent backing of Morocco’s position on the Western Sahara issue, with the country becoming the second permanent member of the UN Security Council, after the US, to publicly support Morocco’s claim.
In October, French President Emmanuel Macron visited Rabat and reaffirmed that Western Sahara is Moroccan, further solidifying the diplomatic relationship.
Economic deals worth more than $10 billion were signed during that visit, underscoring the strengthening ties between the two nations.
While the conflict remains of low intensity since the Polisario withdrew from a UN-brokered truce in 2020, Morocco’s stance has garnered increasing support from Spain, Israel, and several African and Arab nations.
