MOROCCAN RELATIONS WITH SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN

S E C R E T RABAT 000512

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF, NEA/MAG AND AF/RSA
DAR ES SALAAM FOR SULLIVAN SUMMIT DELEGATION

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/30/2028
TAGS: PREL EAID PREF KPKO XA MO
SUBJECT: MOROCCAN RELATIONS WITH SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN
COUNTRIES: A SURVEY

REF: RABAT 0469 (NOTAL)

Classified By: DCM Robert P. Jackson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Morocco is very much an African country.
Its foreign policy toward Sub-Saharan African countries, like
its worldwide foreign policy, is dominated by a single issue:
promoting its sovereignty over Western Sahara. The Western
Sahara issue, in parallel with the broader rivalry between
Morocco and its North African neighbor, Algeria, has shaped a
"for us or against us" perspective, resulting in strong
bilateral relationships with countries supporting the
Government of Morocco (GOM)'s Sahara claims and weak, or even
antagonistic, relations with countries that support the
POLISARIO or recognize the so-called Sahrawi Arab Democratic
Republic (SADR). The positive side of this classic
carrot-and-stick diplomacy has tried to win over countries to
the GOM cause with assistance, sometimes military, and even
outright bribery. Morocco also has mobilized its private
sector entities in this effort, particularly parastatals.
The stick side has ignored or worked against countries that
disagree. Morocco withdrew from the African Union (AU) in
1984, when the AU admitted the SADR. It engages with Africa
multilaterally through the UN, to which Morocco contributes
more than a thousand peacekeepers in Africa. Beyond the
Western Sahara issue, Morocco's Africa policy is shaped by
the problem combating of illicit migration, in partnership
with its European neighbors. The Moroccan MFA is floating a
nascent idea for a "South Atlantic Security Organization" to
counter smuggling and trafficking between Latin American and
West African countries. In addition to political ties,
Morocco has some ongoing economic links and benefits from
significant religious and cultural ties to several African
countries. This survey focuses on Moroccan relations with
Sub-Saharan Africa outside the Maghreb. End Summary.

African Identity and Commitment
--------------


2. (U) Broadly, Morocco is strongly and publicly committed
to its African identity, along with its Arab, Mediterranean,
and to a lesser extent, Atlantic identities. Historic trade
and religious ties go back millennia. Large numbers of
Africans migrated to Morocco, many as slaves, and became
integrated into both blood and culture, part of the unspoken
and little-appreciated Moroccan mosaic. One of the
characteristic forms of Moroccan music, Gnawa, is of
Sub-Saharan origin. More recently, sporting ties such as the
soccer African Cup of Nations, engrave that association into
modern popular consciousness.

Carrots for Morocco's Supporters
--------------


3. (SBU) For Sub-Saharan African states, the recognition of
Morocco's sovereignty in the Western Sahara, or abstaining
from taking a position on the issue, is the litmus test on
which relations are evaluated. Changes, which in recent
years have been almost invariably in favor of the Moroccan
position, often result from direct engagement by Morocco and
are generally a precondition for assistance, investment and
support. Modest by international standards, Morocco has
extended a hand to assist countries whose foreign policy is
aligned with Morocco's; this assistance has had both
bilateral and regional implications. In the past year,
Moroccan King Mohammed VI established the Alaouite Foundation
for Sustainable Development, a fund directed toward projects
on the African continent and also intended as a political
tool. Furthermore, Morocco has given direct payments to

foreign government officials in exchange for their support on
Western Sahara, though we have not heard of these recently.


4. (SBU) Within the last few years, Morocco sent military
supplies to the Seychelles that were then forwarded to the
Comoros. Once received by the Comoros, the equipment was
used to expel rebels from an outlying island. The details of
this transaction became public after the Comoros thanked the
GOM on the margins of the last Arab Summit in Damascus, Syria
in April of this year for the support. About the same time,
the Seychelles withdrew its recognition of the SADR.


5. (SBU) Senegal's support for Morocco has resulted in
significant bilateral assistance from Morocco. The GOM has
assisted Senegal with de-mining in the southern, Casamance
region of the country. Likewise, Morocco endorsed and
supported Senegal's hosting the March 2008 Summit of the
Organization of the Islamic Conference.


6. (SBU) For the inauguration of the President of
Guinea-Bissau, Morocco flew down supplies for the reception
for 500, including the tents, tables, chairs, flowers and
food. Likewise, when the Liberian soccer team ran into visa
issues ahead of attending training in Germany, the GOM
stepped in to offer assistance. In May 2008, the Liberian
national team trained for ten days in Morocco at the GOM's
invitation.


7. (SBU) Moroccan support for countries supporting its
sovereignty over Western Sahara was also evident when Zaire's
former president Mobuto's partisans found refuge in Morocco
as the government collapsed. Even today, Congolese remain a
significant percentage of asylum seekers in Morocco.


8. (SBU) The creation of the Alaouite Foundation for
Sustainable Development, recently formed and still in its
initial stages of development, was announced by King Mohammed
VI at the dedication of an optometry clinic built near Dakar,
Senegal from funds provided by the monarchy. The Alaouite
Foundation anticipates undertaking additional development and
humanitarian assistance projects in Niger, Sierra Leone,
Senegal and Cote d'Ivoire, all countries friendly to
Morocco's Sahara cause.


9. (U) In February, 2002, King Mohammed VI brought together
the heads of states of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea to
reactivate the Mano River Union (MRU) -- a Western African
grouping of countries begun in the 1970s to focus on economic
and security development. Though the MRU had been active in
the 1980s, strife among the three nations stifled diplomatic
progress and the organization declined. In May 2008, the
three countries, along with Guinea-Bissau and Cote d'Ivoire,
signed an agreement to control their borders and cooperate in
development issues.


10. (C) It should be noted that Algeria, which is far
wealthier, has tried to outbid Morocco, but it has been
regularly outclassed by deft Moroccan diplomacy. One
exception is South Africa. In the Apartheid era, the African
National Congress received significant support from the GOM,
but in 2004 moved to support the SADR, in return, some
allege, for significant Algerian financial incentives.

Sticks to Dissenters
--------------


11. (SBU) A review of the countries supporting the SADR
reveals the legacy of the Cold War as Algeria's supporters
provided recognition and legitimacy to the SADR. Likewise,

glancing at the African countries that diplomatically
supported the SADR in the past but have terminated their
support and/or are now supporting the GOM position is
reflective of their maturing process away from populist
nationalism that dominated Africa at independence. Though
there are a few exceptions, the recognition of the SADR by an
African nation generally results in Morocco's diplomatic
shunning of that country or active diplomacy against it.


12. (S) The GOM has long opposed the Government of Robert
Mugabe in retaliation for Zimbabwe's support of Algeria and
the POLISARIO, and has made clear its disapproval of Mugabe's
current heavy-handed effort to remain in power (reftel).
Recently, the GOM has extended diplomatic support to Morgan
Tsvangirai, the leader of the Zimbabwean opposition Movement
for Democratic Change in retaliation for Zimbabwe's support
of Algeria and the POLISARIO.


13. (C) Tensions between South Africa and Morocco in recent
years have risen and they have engaged in open squabbling,
which escalated after a South African envoy went in April
2008 to Tifarity in the trans-berm buffer zone in the Western
Sahara and pledged to help construct a sports facility there.
Also, at the last United Nations Security Council debate on
the Sahara, the South African Ambassador compared the Israeli
treatment of Palestine to the Moroccan presence in the Sahara.

"Stuck in the Middle" Neutrality as a Response
-------------- -


14. (SBU) The Government of Niger, which has chosen to
remain neutral and back the United Nations efforts in the
Sahara, enjoys a relatively close relationship with Morocco.
Fearing Algerian interference, particularly along their
common border where Niger is currently engaged in a conflict
with Tuareg rebels, Niger is hesitant to back Morocco's
Saharan claims. Coping with this situation, the Nigerien
government has resorted to playing Algeria and Morocco off of
one another. Recently, wanting to increase military training
in Morocco, Niger threatened to send forces to Algeria for
training. Concerned about a potential loss of influence,
Morocco added the additional training authorizations.


15. (SBU) Also choosing to stay neutral and back the United
Nations efforts in the Sahara, Liberia enjoys a relatively
close relationship with Morocco. Liberia ended its
diplomatic recognition of the SADR and established its
Embassy in Rabat in 1997 where its primary mission is to
attract Moroccan investment to Liberia and encourage trade
between the two countries. Liberian officials rate their
success at encouraging business relationships as poor.
However, Morocco is currently providing educational support
to Liberia with over 50 Liberian students in Moroccan
universities across the nation and in numerous programs of
study.

Self-Exile from African Union, But Not Africa
--------------


16. (SBU) Morocco remains the only country in Africa not
participating in the AU. Stepping out of the Union in
protest of the inclusion of the SADR has not lessened
Morocco's commitment to peace on the African continent
though. Morocco has historically been a contributor to
United Nations peacekeeping efforts in Africa and publicly
highlights its significant and generally positive
contribution to UN peacekeeping. On May 29, 2008, the
International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, Morocco
celebrated the 50th anniversary of its strategic partnership

in Africa with the United Nations. Morocco has participated
in 15 United Nations peacekeeping operations on four
continents and is currently the 12th largest contributor of
forces to the United Nations in the world (sixth among
African countries and second in the Arab world). It
currently has over 1,500 peacekeepers deployed, most of them
in Cote d'Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Operationally, these missions have apparently been quite
successful. However, Moroccan peacekeeping contributions
have been tarnished by allegations of sexual abuse of local
women by the individual members of the contingent in the DRC.
(Note: The UN was not able to confirm allegations made in
Cote d'Ivoire, although the GOM claims to have punished
wrongdoers. End Note.)


17. (SBU) Morocco participated in the original UN
peacekeeping mission in Somalia, but its involvement ended as
the situation deteriorated. Recent AU involvement has been
cited by the GOM as its reason for avoiding involvement.
Furthermore, the GOM has avoided any engagement in Darfur,
citing the significant AU role.


18. (SBU) Morocco has also engaged in attempts to resolve
sub-regional conflicts within Africa, such as its role in
developing the Mano River Union between Sierra Leone, Liberia
and Guinea. In an effort to further its position, Morocco is
advancing an initiative to create a "South Atlantic Security"
organization to counter smuggling and trafficking between
Latin America and West Africa. Morocco's proposal would
extend as far south as Equatorial Guinea and west to the
island nation of Cape Verde.

Beyond the Political
--------------


19. (U) Morocco is also the beneficiary of a legacy of
historical religious authority over several North African
countries. Moroccan sovereignty over North Africa at one
time extended into parts of present day Algeria, Mali and
Mauritania with tribes ranging as far south as Senegal. The
Moroccan King, who claims to be a descendant of the prophet
Mohammed, enjoys some religious credibility as "Commander of
the Faithful" with West African Muslims outside Morocco's
borders. In 2007, the King hosted a conference of the Tariqa
Tijania, a major Sufi Islamic movement that originated in
Morocco and claims millions of adherents in West Africa.


20. (SBU) Only eight miles from Europe across the Strait of
Gibraltar, Morocco is a land bridge for immigrants going from
Sub-Saharan Africa to Europe and beyond. Partnering with the
European Union, Morocco was recently granted 190 million
euros partially to support countermeasures against illegal
migration. Reports in the Moroccan media press recently
claimed that as a result of Morocco's efforts, clandestine
immigration, through Morocco, is down 91 percent from its
rate three years ago. That reduction may be increasing the
presence of frustrated migrants here.


21. (SBU) In addition, reflecting ties that developed over
centuries during the trans-Saharan caravan trade in salt and
gold, etc., Morocco has growing economic engagement with
Sub-Saharan countries. Moroccans invest in banking,
telecommunications, and transportation, among other sectors.
The GOM also funds training for other Africans in Moroccan
universities, and the deployment of Moroccan technicians to
African countries. One recent example was the 2006
deployment of Moroccan army de-miners to Senegal. Just in
May 2008, Senegal signed a contract with Morocco's national
electricity office for a concession for rural

electrification. The airline, Royal Air Maroc (RAM),is
turning its home base of Casablanca into a regional hub for
West Africa. Some of these ties are subsidized, and are
likely to reinforce political concerns, particularly on
Sahara. One likely example is the newly opened RAM air
connection to Monrovia.


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Riley