Youssef Chihab: “Whether Or Not Germany Recognizes The Moroccanity of Sahara Will Not Change Anything In Practice”

Within the framework of the tensions surrounding bilateral relations between Morocco and Germany, and following the summoning of Morocco’s ambassador to Germany, Dr. Youssef Chihab, Professor of geostrategy and international development at Sorbonne University and Director of research at the French Center for Intelligence Studies (CF2R), presented an exclusive reading to Morocco Telegraph on the nature of relations between the two countries during the recent period.

The political analyst affirmed that Morocco’s decision to summon H.E Ambassador Zohour Alaoui is due to a set of problems that Morocco is taking on Germany, including its hostile stance towards the Sahara issue following the US recognition, in addition to its collusion with the convicted Mohammed Hajeb, without forgetting that ignoring the role of Morocco’s role in the Libyan file was also a “hasty” attitude

In a more accurate interpretation of this conclusion, Youssef Chihab considered that “Morocco has to emerge from the diplomacy of emotions, to a more realistic diplomacy to unveil the truth about Germany.”

Chihab linked this warning to several factors, which are represented in “that Germany is the third economic power in the world and the first at the level of the European Union and has strong economic relations with Morocco, in addition to its great ambition that, within the next five years, it intends to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council. Moreover, it is home to a big Moroccan community.”

On this point, Chihab stressed that “all these considerations must be taken and put into balance in order not to re-fall into the fatal mistake that Moroccan diplomacy had previously made, which is the adoption of stance diplomacy.”

With regard to the analysis of the shortcomings on which Morocco is building its decision to summon the ambassador, the expert sheds light on a set of details which are as follows:

In terms of the position Germany takes on the Saharan matter, the expert clarifies that “the country is not hostile as promoted by Moroccan media, but the position only means that Germany believes that the US recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Sahara only concerns the US. In return, this file should not be excluded from the series of political negotiation sponsored by the United Nations, which is also what Morocco demands.”

Dr. Chihab continues, saying, “Biden also supports the same trend by recognizing the competence of the United Nations on this file and not against the Moroccan Sahara.”

He concluded on this point by saying, “Germany is not hostile to Morocco. Rather, the country expressed its desire to follow the UN track, which is what Morocco demanded following the ceasefire agreement and before Trump’s recognition of the Moroccanity of Sahara.”

Concerning Germany’s policy regarding the relationship with a convicted terrorist, Youssef Chihab asserts that “it is not appropriate for Morocco to go down to this level and talk about an arrogant who does not possess any capabilities that would pose a threat to Morocco. Rather, he is just an opportunist who admitted his terrorism and imprisonment and then offered Germany his services” adding that “Morocco does not need to enter into hostility with Germany under the pretext of a person like Mohammed Hajeb.”

As for the Libyan file, the geostrategic expert pointed out that “Morocco has been involved in the Libyan matter since 2016-2017, in an attempt to unanimously bring the Libyan opinion and bring points of view closer through several stations, and the fact that Germany did not include Morocco but invited other countries such as Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt, can be subject to several analyzes.”

Chihab went on to say, “In terms of form, the invited countries are more related by virtue of geographical proximity and the presence of their borders with Libya. In essence, Morocco does not need a blessing or a medal from Germany for its mediation in the Libyan file,” adding, “On the contrary, Morocco will reap the fruits of this investment on the medium or long term, which is related to diplomatic relations with Libya.”

In the same context, the Moroccan analyst indicated that the results of this mediation will be translated by Libya in its first step towards Morocco after its establishment as an integrated country, which is the recognition of the Moroccanity of Sahara, after the woes that Moroccan diplomacy experienced with the previous Libyan regime.

In conclusion, Youssef Chihab stressed that “Morocco should think long and out of these emotional and irresponsible positions with a major country like Germany,” stressing that “in return, caution and control must be exercised and the diplomacy of interests adopted, because cutting ties with Germany would constitute a disaster for Morocco, but will never affect Germany.

Chihab then sums up the essence of this debate by saying, “whether or not Germany recognizes the Moroccanity of Sahara will not change anything in practice.”