The rejection by the British High Court of the appeal lodged by the “polisario” through the NGO “WSCUK” against the Association Agreement between the Kingdom of Morocco and the United Kingdom, constitutes a new setback for the “polisario”.
It follows a first instance decision by the same Court on December 05, 2022, rejecting the claims of “WSCUK” against the aforementioned agreement.
Similarly, on March 15, 2021, the High Court of New Zealand refused to rule on the application for judicial review brought by “polisario” and the representative of “Western Sahara Compaign, New Zealand”, against the “New Zealand Superfund”.
The High Court’s decision, which was welcomed by the British government, is of great importance, since it not only confirms the Association Agreement, but also testifies to the soundness of Anglo-Saxon jurisprudence in this area, given that the judge concluded that the grounds put forward by the “polisario” representatives had no real chance of success, and that the action itself would be of no use.
For the Kingdom of Morocco, which welcomed the ruling and its wise and responsible conclusions, this judgment only confirms the truth and Morocco’s rightful claim, as well as the legitimacy of its action in its Southern Provinces, and the conformity of the exploitation of its natural resources with international legality.
On the other hand, this judgment, which is in line with the position always expressed by Morocco regarding the indisputable legality of the agreements concluded with the United Kingdom, welcomes the Tribunal’s recognition that the “polisario” has absolutely no opinion to give regarding the economic development of the Kingdom’s Southern Provinces, and that its commercial relations with the United Kingdom concern only the two parties concerned.
It is worth noting that the Tribunal did not get involved in political issues relating to the regional dispute over the Sahara, which are the exclusive responsibility of the UN Security Council.
It has to be said that, through this important judgment, the “polisario” has been restored to its true dimension, and cannot claim to represent the population of the Sahara.
Consequently, the Kingdom of Morocco, which welcomes the wise and enlightened handling of this issue by the British judiciary, reiterates its commitment to further strengthening its relations with the United Kingdom, in the knowledge that the agricultural sectors are favored by the history and proximity of the two nations, whose markets are first-rate outlets for Moroccan and European products.
In this way, the United Kingdom will always find in Morocco a reliable and indispensable partner, a true link between Africa and Europe, resolutely committed to a process of ongoing reform, and driven by the desire to consolidate and diversify the areas of cooperation with its partners.