The interim French government's decision on 29 July to in effect recognise Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara is another victory for Rabat – following a similar decision by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in 2022 and then United States President Donald Trump's tying of a Moroccan Sahara to his Abraham Accords normalising Arab relations with Israel (Dispatches 24/3/22 Dropping the Polisario Front Madrid backs Rabat AC Vol 63 No 7 Rabat strengthens Sahara grip & AC Vol 61 No 25 King reaps Saharan dividend)...

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen who was accompanied at her meetings with President Mohamed Ould Cheikh el Ghazouani in Nouakchott last week by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has promised to double humanitarian assistance for Mauritania including support to refugees from Mali as part of a 'common roadmap' on migration management with Mauritania that officials say will be finalised in the coming weeks...

President Joe Biden has done nothing to reverse Trump's decision and earlier this year he made favourable statements about Morocco's Autonomy Plan as did Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez...

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez unilaterally broke with decades of settled policy when he declared full support for Morocco's autonomy plan in March...

Algeria meanwhile has been consolidating its ties with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's government in Madrid buying more Russian arms despite its cash squeeze – which has been eased by the upturn in oil prices– and doubling down on support for Polisario and criticism of Israel Morocco's newly open ally (AC Vol 62 No 2 The King's quiet gong & Vol 61 No 25 King reaps Saharan dividend)...