Morocco's diplomatic approach to the Sahara issue appears to be yielding a new reality in its international relations, with the dispute increasingly serving as a foundation for Rabat's strategic partnerships while gradually disappearing from the agendas of countries that once used it as leverage in their dealings with one another.
The latest illustration of this shift can be seen in two parallel diplomatic tracks. On one hand, Morocco and France continue to deepen their strategic partnership with Sahara featuring prominently in their political understanding. On the other, Algeria and Spain are moving toward restoring full relations without the issue appearing to play any visible role in their upcoming talks.
The contrast became evident on Thursday when Morocco and France signed 14 new cooperation agreements during the High-Level Meeting co-chaired by Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch and his French counterpart, Sébastien Lecornu. The agreements cover a wide range of strategic sectors and mark another step in the strengthening of bilateral ties.
Beyond the agreements themselves, the two governments confirmed their readiness to conclude what they described as an unprecedented strategic partnership during King Mohammed VI's expected state visit to France later this autumn, signaling a new stage in relations following months of political rapprochement.
Sahara remained central to that evolving partnership. During the meeting, Lecornu reaffirmed France's unwavering support for Morocco's sovereignty over Sahara, reiterating Paris' backing for the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative as the sole framework for achieving a lasting political settlement to the dispute.
France's position reflects a broader diplomatic trend pursued by Rabat in recent years. Rather than treating Sahara as a separate political file, Morocco has increasingly made clear support for its sovereignty and the Autonomy Initiative an integral component of strategic cooperation with partner countries.
This approach has gradually reshaped the Kingdom's foreign policy, with Rabat viewing explicit positions on Sahara not as symbolic declarations but as essential political commitments underpinning long-term partnerships.
Meanwhile, Algeria is preparing to host Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in the coming days in a visit widely expected to close the chapter on the diplomatic crisis that erupted after Madrid endorsed Morocco's Autonomy Initiative in 2022.
Spanish media have reported that Sánchez's visit is likely to produce major agreements, particularly in the energy sector, including increased Algerian natural gas exports to Spain as both countries seek to fully normalize bilateral relations.
What stands out from Morocco's perspective, however, is that Sahara does not appear to feature among the issues expected to dominate the discussions or the agreements under preparation, despite being the very issue that triggered the diplomatic rupture between Madrid and Algiers.
For Rabat, that absence carries significant political meaning. It suggests that Algeria is restoring ties with Spain while accepting that Madrid has not altered its position on the Sahara issue, nor has it been required to do so as a condition for rebuilding relations.
This marks a notable departure from previous years, when Algeria sought to use the dispute as a central element in its diplomatic engagement with countries that backed Morocco's proposal. The expected Algeria-Spain rapprochement indicates that economic and strategic cooperation can now proceed without reopening the debate over Madrid's position on Sahara.
At the same time, Morocco continues to move in the opposite direction by placing Sahara at the center of its international partnerships. The French example reinforces a broader pattern already visible in Rabat's relations with several countries that have deepened cooperation while simultaneously expressing support for Morocco's Autonomy Initiative.
Taken together, these parallel developments point to a diplomatic landscape increasingly aligned with Morocco's long-term objective: transforming the Sahara issue from a subject of international dispute into a settled political parameter governing its external partnerships. As more countries maintain or strengthen relations with both Morocco and Algeria without revisiting their support for the Autonomy Initiative, Rabat's strategy appears to be gaining greater international traction.
