At the origin of the tensions between the two countries, France’s relations with Algeria and the very personality of Emmanuel Macron, according to Gabriel Martinez-Gros.
“Of course there are political considerations at play”, explained Gabriel Martinez-Gros, historian and professor emeritus at the University of Nanterre, Monday September 11 on franceinfo. France offered its help to Morocco, but more than 48 hours after the earthquake, the country did not respond favorably. Conversely, Rabat authorizes Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Spain and Britain to send search and rescue teams. According to Gabriel Martinez-Gros, relations between France and Algeria largely explain the tensions between Paris and Rabat. He believes that the personality of Emmanuel Macron “play its part” also.
>> Earthquake in Morocco: the embarrassing silence of Mohammed VI
“Morocco has not refused anyone, it is sovereign in its decisions”reacts Catherine Colonna, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. “We should not see any political reason in this”, says Renaissance MP Nadia Hai. Do you share these findings?
Gabriel Martinez-Gros: No. Of course, there are political considerations at play. The crisis is not very serious but it is indicative of a very deep situation. There is a third partner that we are not talking about – because it is not the time in the serious circumstances of this earthquake – that is Algeria. France is facing these two former colonies, completely opposite in principle, the decolonizations were very different. In short, everything opposes Algeria and Morocco, and France has not chosen and probably cannot choose.
“It is very obvious that today the countries, whose aid Morocco welcomes, are the countries of the Abraham group, those which have admitted that Western Sahara [au cœur d’un conflit diplomatique entre l’Algérie et le Maroc] was Moroccan.”
Gabriel Martinez-Gros, historianat franceinfo
Those who push Morocco and in general the Islamic world to regularize with Israel for example.
The recognition of Western Sahara but also the diplomatic quarrel between Paris and Rabat over visas. Paris had decided to reduce the number of visas granted to Morocco by 50%. The idea was to put pressure on the kingdom deemed too uncooperative when receiving Moroccan nationals expelled from France. Could this also explain the tension?
Generally speaking, Morocco and Morocco, vis-à-vis Algeria, always claim a privileged position from France. With this idea: It is not normal that you grant such a right to Algeria while you do not grant it to Morocco, when you know very well that Morocco supported you much more than Algeria in international bodies and in general in all the crises that France has gone through.
“The Moroccan secret services actually played an important role in the failure of a certain number of plots or terrorist attacks in preparation. So, there is an offended dignity if I dare say, or a feeling of ingratitude Moroccans towards France.”
Gabriel Martinez-Grosat franceinfo
Quite simply because the agreements with Algeria were supported by a century and a half of colonization during which Algeria was France. It is also enough to see what distribution France made of the Saharan lands. Algeria obviously benefited from the major share, quite simply because it was still France at the time this partition was made, that is to say between 1958 and 1962.
There was also a closeness between the French presidents and the father of Mohammed VI. Today, we have the impression that this privileged relationship is tainted or at least less warm. The entourage of the King of Morocco had also denounced Emmanuel Macron’s arrogance last spring. His personality is not appreciated by the King of Morocco?
It is likely that Emmanuel Macron’s personal factor plays its role. A sort of lack of heat which is not appreciated, both in Morocco and, it seems, in many sub-Saharan African countries. There is a generational transition that is having a bit of difficulty between the thunderous but popular Jacques Chirac who knew how to shake hands, kiss very widely, and Emmanuel Macron who has more difficulty doing it, that’s for sure.