Josep Borrell posted in Rabat the will of Europe to deepen cooperation with the Cherifian kingdom despite the controversies around “Moroccogate” and the sensitive question of Western Sahara.
By Philippe Jacqué (Brussels, European office)
This is a visit that was to revive and deepen the already old relationship between the European Union (EU) and Morocco. On the economic, energetic, safe or migration level, projects between the twenty-seven and the Cherifian kingdom are increasing. On the political level, the relationship remains extremely sustained – in 2022, most of the European commissioners thus paraded in Rabat. There are still some files that always lead the relationship.
Josep Borrell, the high representative of the European Union, the visit of which was the first time canceled in September 2022 following a declaration defending the right of the Saharai to decide their future in Western Sahara, was precisely , from January 5 to 7, try to dispel the misunderstandings and strengthen the links by meeting Aziz Akhannouch, the Moroccan Prime Minister, and Nasser Bourita, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the country.
On the deepening of the partnership, the head of European diplomacy has announced the establishment of “a high level dialogue in terms of security” in order to fight “together against threats to our security and terrorism in our immediate neighborhood “, especially in the Sahel. Similarly, he spoke of a “reinforced cooperation between the EU and Morocco in multilateral institutions. We want to make initiatives carried out jointly by countries in the North and South make it possible to relaunch the multilateral action on the challenges global. “From war to Ukraine to climate change, there is no shortage of subjects. At the economic and climate level, Europe and its first trading partner in Africa, with 45 billion euros in exchanges, will accelerate the implementation of their green partnership, in order to facilitate the energy transition.
“Zero tolerance” for corruption
The fact remains that the context of Mr. Borrell’s visit is complex, a few weeks after the revelation of a vast scandal of corruption by foreign states within the European Parliament. The investigation carried out by the Belgian justice in the institution led to the arrest, in December 2022, of the former Italian socialist MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri and the Greek vice-president of the Assembly, Eva Kaili. An investigation which points not only to Qatar, but also of Morocco.
According to the Belgian media Knack and in the evening, Mr. Panzeri has notably linked to the Directorate General for Studies and Documentation (DGED), the external intelligence service of Morocco, and would have received money and Products from this country, through a diplomat, currently stationed in Poland. Without going into any detail or recognizing any involvement, Mr. Bourita castigated, during a common press conference on Thursday, with Mr. Borrell, “media attacks” against Morocco to weaken his relationship with the European Union.
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