The issue of the Moroccan Sahara is one of the most complex conflicts in the Maghreb region, touching on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco.
In this context, Algeria plays a pivotal role in supporting the separatist Polisario Front, which Rabat views as a terrorist arm aiming to destabilize the region. Recently, Japan delivered a strong diplomatic blow to Algeria and the Polisario by confirming, through its Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Yoichi Fukuzawa, that his country does not recognize what is called the “Sahrawi Arab Republic,” emphasizing that the presence of representatives of this fictitious entity in the meeting room during the “TICAD” summit does not reflect any change in Japan’s position supporting Morocco’s territorial integrity.
Japan Reaffirms Its Position: A Blow to the Algerian Regime by Confirming Neutrality and Refusing to Recognize Fictitious Entities pic.twitter.com/iHLaNiaQNB
— Diplomatique.ma الدبلوماسية (@diplomatique_ma) August 24, 2024
This stance reflects Japan’s clear approach in dealing with this conflict, where Tokyo confirmed that invitations to attend the “TICAD” summit are only extended to UN member states, thereby excluding any unrecognized entity, including the Polisario.
Despite Algeria’s persistent attempts to involve countries like Japan in the conflict through forgery and document manipulation, Morocco’s vigilance thwarted infiltration attempts, as seen in Tokyo.
Algeria and the Polisario have consistently used tactics based on manipulation and forgery to deceive public opinion into believing that the separatist front enjoys widespread international support.
One such attempt was Ibrahim Ghali’s infiltration into Spain with forged Algerian documents, an incident that sparked a diplomatic crisis between Rabat and Madrid, culminating in Spain’s recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara.
However, the question that arises here is: How long will Algeria continue on this hostile path toward Morocco? How can the international community deal with these repeated attempts to falsify facts? And what could be the consequences of this conflict on regional stability in North Africa? It is essential for Morocco to continue enhancing its diplomatic vigilance and defending its national causes by all possible means, while also working to expose Algerian manipulations on the international stage.”
