The Western Saharan town of Dakhla will be receiving a new 3-gigawatt power cable courtesy of the French government. On 26 April 2024, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire announced that the cable would link Dakhla to Casablanca, one of Morocco’s largest cities. After years of cold relations between Paris and Rabat, France seems ready to re-involve itself in northern Africa, specifically financing the area’s transition towards green energy. Western Sahara, for its part, is a heavily disputed non-self-governing territory on Morocco’s southern border, which has led to territorial contention between Morocco and rebel groups for many years. France’s latest venture signals a move towards recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the territory.
In Le Maire’s visit to Rabat, he confirmed that France is “ready to participate in funding this project.” This follows up on previous statements from another French official back in February — Foreign Minister Stephan Sojourne expressed support for Morocco’s investments in Western Sahara, as well as Rabat’s plan for autonomy over the territory, though Sojourne did not endorse Morocco’s claim to total sovereignty.
Morocco’s claim over Western Sahara has been weak, and in 2020, the United States became the first U.N. country to recognize its sovereignty claim (in return for normalization of Moroccan-Israeli relations). This was another disappointing foreign policy choice from Donald Trump, who reversed decades of support for the autonomy of the Sahrawi people (native inhabitants of Western Sahara) to give Israel a favor and fix its relations with Morocco. Regardless of this event, Morocco’s plans for the region have been in place for many years — it has planned to build a new port in Dakhla since 2010, according to the Western Sahara Resource Watch. France’s support of Morocco’s objectives makes it all the more likely that these goals will be realized. However, it also risks drawing confrontation from neighboring Algeria which supports the Polisario Front, the rebel group recognized by the U.N. as the legitimate representation of the Sahrawi people. Algeria would see full Moroccan autonomy as a challenge to its importance and influence in North Africa.
In late 2023, Morocco and France ended the two-year breakdown in diplomatic relations between them. These disagreements, though rooted in the historical colonial relationship, stemmed from Morocco’s goals for increased self-reliance and France’s cooperation with Algeria. Another main issue was France’s neutral stance on Moroccan autonomy in the Western Sahara, which now seems to be shifting and helping to repair relations. Though sparsely populated, the Western Sahara region holds importance for natural resources, coastal access, and increased Moroccan power in North Africa.
France’s commitment to fund a 3-gigawatt power cable linking Dakhla to Casablanca underscores a significant shift in both diplomatic relations and influence in North Africa. By aligning itself with Morocco’s objectives for Western Sahara, France signals both a reinvigoration of its involvement in the region and support of Morocco’s sovereignty claim. This move may also fuel tensions with neighboring Algeria, which supports the rebel Polisario Front. Nevertheless, Paris and Rabat are expressing a willingness to mend past disagreements and collaborate on the Western Sahara endeavor. As the dynamics in North Africa continue to evolve, the implications of this partnership extend beyond energy infrastructure to shape geopolitical landscapes and regional power changes.