In a move that may appear minor on the surface but carries deep strategic significance, Syrian authorities, in the presence of a Moroccan diplomatic delegation, officially closed the office of the separatist “Polisario” Front in Damascus. This unprecedented event in the Levantine context was documented during a Moroccan technical visit aimed at preparing for the reopening of the Kingdom of Morocco’s embassy in Syria, which has been closed since 2012.
This development raises several fundamental political questions:
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Are we witnessing a qualitative shift in Damascus’s position on the Moroccan Sahara issue?
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Is this simply a symbolic diplomatic gesture to please Morocco, or is it part of a broader repositioning of Syria within the Arab and international order?
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To what extent can this shift be interpreted in light of Morocco’s growing ties with the Arab world, particularly with countries that have traditionally aligned themselves with Algeria and the “Polisario”?
Field Closure: Political Symbolism at a Turning Point
The actual closure of the “Polisario” office in Damascus, carried out in the joint presence of high-level Moroccan and Syrian officials, cannot be reduced to an administrative measure. It is a concrete statement that Syria — long seen as part of the “resistance camp” and aligned with Algeria’s stance — is now reordering its political and diplomatic priorities.
At this very moment, Syria is sending a clear message: no more support for any separatist entity that targets the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco. This position is increasingly aligned — albeit implicitly — with a growing Arab and African trend that now views Morocco’s autonomy plan as the only serious and realistic solution to the Sahara conflict.
From Damascus to Rabat: Are Relations Being Rebuilt on New Foundations?
Morocco’s decision to reopen its embassy in Syria cannot be separated from this context. It signals that Rabat is conducting its regional diplomacy with quiet yet firm pragmatism — moving beyond outdated ideological divisions and opting to build bridges with regimes that were, until recently, close to Morocco’s adversaries.
This brings forth key questions:
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Does this Moroccan-Syrian rapprochement lay the groundwork for a new alliance based on mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity?
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Can Moroccan diplomacy, through this initiative, succeed in neutralizing one of the last symbolic outposts of the “Polisario” in the Arab East?
The Message’s Deeper Meaning: Morocco Redefining Its Strategic Alignment
The political message behind this move goes far beyond Syria. The on-the-ground closure of the separatist office — under the watch of Moroccan diplomats — sends an unequivocal signal to opponents of Morocco’s territorial integrity: the era of double-dealing is over. Quietly but decisively, Morocco is redrawing the regional lines of alignment to favor its vision of territorial unity.
At its core, this moment reflects one of the victories of Morocco’s royal diplomacy, which has — through strategic silence — dismantled several symbolic strongholds of separatists, whether in Africa or now in the Levant.
Conclusion: Have We Entered the Phase of “Silent Recognition”?
While many countries have quietly abandoned their past positions in favor of the “Polisario,” Syria’s move today can be described as a silent — but effective — recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty.
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Are we now entering a new phase in which more such quiet acknowledgments begin to multiply, far from media fanfare?
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Will Rabat continue with this approach of soft power and quiet diplomacy, in contrast to the loud media and diplomatic strategies preferred by its adversaries?
