Assahafa.com
Abderrahmane Adraoui
Director of Publication
Between Morocco and Canada, there has been a long and tranquil river of friendship, cooperation, and exchanges flowing for decades.
However, Canada, while praising Morocco’s efforts to resolve the conflict in the Sahara, has never taken the step of supporting the autonomy plan as a reasonable basis for resolving this artificial conflict, which has gone on for far too long.
During a previous visit in 2020, the then Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, François-Philippe Champagne, stated at a press briefing that his country joined the UN Security Council in supporting the “serious and credible efforts made by Morocco to move forward in addressing the Sahara issue.”
Following the example of France, Spain, Germany, the United States, and Israel, the Canadian government would benefit from supporting the Autonomy Plan in the Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty.
While Canada has expressed its willingness to work on this issue with Morocco and the international community, it remains hesitant, even though bilateral relations have always progressed positively. This is particularly significant as the two countries do not have direct conflicts or conflicting interests.
Canada has a large Moroccan immigrant community that plays a full role in Canadian society, as well as in the country of origin.
For these various reasons, the Canadian government can assess the viability of the Moroccan offer. Especially since several allied countries of Canada, within NATO or the G7, have taken the step and recognized the Moroccan proposal as the most concrete and feasible.
In supporting the autonomy plan as a basis for resolving the conflict, Canada would earn full recognition from Morocco. This stance would allow Canada to gain more with Morocco economically and politically, especially as Ottawa plans to gradually re-engage with its African policy.
Morocco appears well positioned to serve as a gateway to the African continent and as a hub for Canadian companies that can establish themselves in the southern provinces and benefit from the significant projects launched by the Moroccan king in recent years, thus tapping into the opportunities offered by the region and beyond, into the depths of Africa.
