The famous 'Green March' of 1975 was the beginning of the claim on the territories of the former Spanish Sahara

Morocco responds to the ruling of the European Court of Justice with the 'old fishing agreement' with Russia

MOROCCO
Monday, October 14, 2024, 00:10 (GMT + 9)

• In the late 1980s, Morocco signed an agreement with the USSR aimed at securing recognition of its sovereignty over the former Spanish Sahara.

• Following the dissolution of the USSR, this agreement was renewed by Russia in the 1990s.

• The diplomatic strategy employed by Morocco, under the leadership of Ambassador Abdellatif Filali, remains one of the country’s strongest arguments.

• The implementation of this agreement was overseen by the ONA Group*, which facilitated the launch of Russian fishing operations in the disputed territory.

Following a recent ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), Morocco has extended its fisheries agreement with Russia to include the Western Sahara coastline. The CJEU definitively annulled the EU's fisheries and agriculture agreements with Morocco, stating that they were invalid because they encompassed Western Sahara without accounting for the Sahrawi population's consent.

The court ruled that any international agreement regarding resource exploitation in Western Sahara requires the approval of its people, a condition that has not been met. The fisheries agreement had already been suspended since July 2023 due to a prior decision by the EU's General Court, which found that the agreements concluded in 2019 were made without the necessary consent from the Sahrawis.

In contrast to this ruling, Morocco has chosen to extend its mutual fisheries agreement with Russia, which explicitly includes the Western Sahara coastline—territory that Morocco considers part of its southern provinces. Moroccan diplomatic sources informed the Spanish news agency Europa Press that this agreement reflects Moscow's recognition of Morocco's claims over the Sahara, further supporting Morocco’s stance on the disputed territory.

Morocco proposes a model of broad autonomy for Western Sahara under its sovereignty, aiming to develop the region comprehensively while granting significant self-governing powers to the Saharawi people. Key nations, including the United States, France, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Germany, and Spain, back this initiative, viewing it as a credible path to resolving the Sahrawi dispute.

Conversely, the Polisario Front, supported by Algeria—Morocco's primary political rival in the Maghreb—advocates for a referendum on independence for the Sahrawi people. This proposal garners less international support.

The CJEU's call for consultation with the Sahrawi population before signing any trade or economic agreements may pose challenges regarding legitimacy, given that approximately 80% of the population resides in the Moroccan-controlled southern provinces, while the remaining 20% lives in refugee camps in Algeria, where conditions are difficult. Determining the appropriate population to consult could complicate the independence referendum process.

Morocco aims to maintain its territorial integrity, viewing Western Sahara as an integral part of its nation. By promoting wealth-generating activities and establishing economic and trade agreements involving the territory, Morocco seeks to ensure social and economic prosperity in the region. The recent extension of the fishing agreement with Russia is a step in this direction, with Moroccan officials describing it as a "promising" development. Notably, the fourth session of the Russia-Morocco Joint Fisheries Committee recently took place in Rabat, during which further cooperation plans were discussed. Ultimately, Morocco secured a fisheries agreement with Russia that encompasses the entire Atlantic coast, aligning with Moscow's previously stated conditions.

*ONA Group (Omnium Nord-Africain,  a defunct Moroccan holding company established in 1934 and dissolved in 2010 and succeeded by Societe Nationale d'Investissement)

Related news:

• IN BRIEF - Morocco rejects CJEU ruling on fisheries agreement, alleges legal errors

• Fishing sector regrets consequences of CJEU ruling annulling EU-Morocco fishing agreement

• EU court to rule on Morocco fisheries agreement appeal October 4

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