Why did Mohammed VI avoid addressing European Court’s landmark decision, and what does it reveal about kingdom’s vulnerability?

BY: Dr. Hana Saada

Algiers, Algeria | October 13th, 2024 — The recent speech by Morocco’s King Mohammed VI on the night of Friday, October 11, 2024, left analysts and observers perplexed, raising serious questions about the state of the Moroccan regime following the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling that rejected Morocco’s sovereignty over the occupied Western Sahara territories. This monumental decision, which declared void the fisheries and agricultural agreements between Morocco and the European Union, has shaken the foundations of the Moroccan throne.

What stood out most in the King’s address was the complete omission of any reference to the ECJ ruling—an omission that sent ripples through diplomatic and political circles. Instead of confronting the ruling head-on, King Mohammed VI chose to revisit past events and express gratitude for outdated statements, notably thanking French President Emmanuel Macron for his support of the autonomy plan for Western Sahara, a declaration made three months ago. He also referenced Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s stance on the issue—an endorsement that dates back over two and a half years.

This avoidance tactic was glaringly evident as the King spoke of issues long settled while sidestepping the fresh legal blow dealt to his regime just a week prior. The ECJ’s decision, which annulled key trade agreements with the EU, notably ending the renewal of fisheries and agricultural deals as of July 17, 2023, marks a diplomatic defeat with far-reaching consequences for Morocco’s future in the Western Sahara dispute.

Critics were quick to point out that the King’s speech was a blatant attempt to distract the Moroccan public from the ECJ ruling, a decision that will inevitably have severe diplomatic and political ramifications on the ongoing conflict over Western Sahara. The monarch’s speech was seen as a futile effort to gloss over a reality that cannot be ignored—international justice had spoken, and its ruling directly undermines Rabat’s claims over the disputed territories.

Observers noted the stark absence of the usual threatening rhetoric that has characterized previous speeches by King Mohammed VI. Gone were the bold declarations that Western Sahara was “the lens through which Morocco views the world” and “the clear and simple benchmark for the sincerity of friendships and the effectiveness of partnerships.” This time, the monarch refrained from issuing veiled threats to European nations, particularly Germany, which has taken the lead in committing to the ECJ ruling.

This sudden shift in tone was seen as an indication of the regime’s fragility, as it now faces the undeniable reality that European countries will no longer participate in the exploitation of Western Sahara’s resources. For Morocco, this spells the end of the fisheries agreement with the EU—a vital component of its economic partnership with Europe.

The absence of any reference to the ECJ ruling sparked widespread debate among experts and social media commentators. Many had expected King Mohammed VI, as the ultimate authority in the kingdom, to address the critical questions raised by the Moroccan public about the future of the Western Sahara occupation in light of this judicial defeat. Instead, the King remained silent on the issue, leaving a vacuum of answers as the EU’s 27 member states prepare to recalibrate their positions on the conflict.

Spanish journalist Ignacio Cembrero, a seasoned expert on Moroccan affairs, took to X (formerly Twitter) to highlight the King’s evasive speech. In a tweet, he quoted the front page headline of the Moroccan weekly Tel Quel: “Injured but not sunk.” Cembrero noted that this was one of the few Moroccan publications that did not excessively downplay the ECJ’s ruling.

Renowned Moroccan journalist Ali Lmrabet, who has previously been imprisoned by the regime, also weighed in on the King’s speech, noting in a tweet: “The King’s speech at the opening of the Moroccan Parliament: Thanks to Macron for acknowledging Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara. Thanks to Spain, too. Not a single word about the European Court of Justice’s ruling that annulled two trade agreements between the EU and Morocco concerning the Sahara.”

These reactions underscore the damage inflicted by the ECJ ruling, a legal blow that the Moroccan regime has been desperately trying to spin in its favor ever since its 2020 normalization of ties with the Zionist entity and former U.S. President Donald Trump’s tweet recognizing Moroccan claims over Western Sahara. But the ECJ’s decision has now effectively dashed these hopes, shattering the illusion that the dispute over Western Sahara has been settled.

In the days following the King’s speech, the regime in Rabat appears to be scrambling to contain the fallout, knowing full well that this is not just a legal setback but a diplomatic and economic one as well. The ruling has opened the door for further scrutiny of Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara, as European nations are now forced to reconsider their positions and abide by international law. For King Mohammed VI, the silence on this ruling speaks volumes, revealing a regime struggling to maintain its grip on both power and narrative in the face of an undeniable reality.

Translated from:

https://www.echoroukonline.com/%d9%84%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%b0%d8%a7-%d8%aa%d8%ac%d9%86%d8%a8-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%84%d9%83-%d9%86%d8%a8%d8%b1%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%aa%d9%87%d8%af%d9%8a%d8%af-%d8%aa%d8%ac%d8%a7%d9%87

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