UK businesses free to operate in Morocco’s Sahara

The UK government has affirmed that British companies are allowed to conduct business in Morocco's southern provinces of Sahara, emphasizing that businesses can make independent decisions regarding trade and investment in the area. This declaration was made by Minister of State for Trade Policy, Douglas Alexander, during a parliamentary session where he responded to inquiries comparing the status of Israeli settlements in Palestine with economic activities in Sahara.

In response to Scottish National Party MP Graham Leadbitter’s question about potential bans on trade and investment in what he termed "illegal settlements," Alexander reiterated the UK’s position that Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories violate international law. However, he adopted a distinctly different tone regarding Morocco’s southern provinces, stating, “It is for companies to take their own decisions on whether to do business in Sahara,” without indicating any legal concerns or restrictions on trade in the region. He further noted that the UK continues to support UN-led initiatives aimed at achieving a just and lasting political resolution.

Algeria and the Polisario Front have sought to draw parallels between the Sahara conflict and the Palestinian issue, but this UK stance serves as a blow to their narrative. The UK's clear differentiation between its views on Israeli settlements and its position regarding economic activities in Morocco's southern provinces underscores its nuanced diplomatic approach. While the UK condemns Israeli settlements as illegal and refrains from granting them preferential trade agreements, it has not imposed similar limitations on economic endeavors in Sahara.

This development may indicate a step forward for Morocco, as the UK’s statement allows businesses the freedom to operate without being labeled as “occupied.” Nevertheless, the UK stops short of formally recognizing Morocco's sovereignty over the region, a point that many Moroccan and British officials, along with international allies, have urged.

In recent years, there has been a growing chorus within the UK advocating for a stronger commitment to Morocco’s territorial integrity. Over 30 MPs and Peers signed a letter to the former Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron, calling for the recognition of Morocco's Autonomy Plan as the most viable resolution to the Sahara dispute. The letter highlighted Morocco’s strategic significance as a stable ally in North Africa, especially amid increasing instability in the Sahel and the Middle East.

British MP Andrew Murrison has also emphasized the need for the UK to align its diplomatic stance with allies such as the US, France, Spain, and Germany, all of whom have endorsed Morocco’s sovereignty over Sahara. He has urged the establishment of a stronger diplomatic presence in Laayoune and Dakhla to bolster support for Morocco’s territorial claims, asserting that Morocco’s Autonomy Plan is "the only credible option."

Despite its pragmatic trade stance, the UK remains hesitant to take the critical step of formally recognizing Morocco's sovereignty over Sahara. Given its historical ties and long-standing diplomatic relations with Morocco, the UK holds a unique position to do so, a responsibility underscored by the Treaty of March 13, 1895, which recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara and should inform the UK’s contemporary foreign policy.