French Culture Minister Rachida Dati arrived in disputed Western Sahara on Monday, where she is set to meet with local officials and inaugurate a French cultural center in a demonstration of France’s backing for Moroccan sovereignty over the region.
The ongoing conflict, which began in 1975, sees Morocco asserting control over the area, while the Algeria-supported Polisario Front continues to push for independence.
“This visit marks a significant symbolic and political moment,” Dati told Moroccan reporters. In July, France became the second permanent U.N. Security Council member after the U.S. to publicly support Morocco’s claim to the territory.
French President Emmanuel Macron had reinforced this stance during a visit to Rabat in October, declaring Western Sahara as part of Morocco. Macron’s foreign minister further pledged to enhance France’s consular presence in the region.
During Macron’s visit, more than $10 billion in economic agreements were signed, and Morocco played a key role in securing the release of four French intelligence officers detained in Burkina Faso.
France’s support for Morocco has strained relations with Algeria, while Morocco has also gained the backing of Spain, Israel, and over two dozen African and Arab nations.
The Polisario Front, which broke a U.N.-brokered ceasefire in 2020, continues to challenge Morocco’s control, though the conflict remains relatively low in intensity.
