Morocco says it will suspend all contact with the German embassy in Rabat as well as German cooperation entities and foundations that have any links with the embassy.

In a letter sent to Prime Minister Saâd-Eddine el-Othmani and all government members, Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita (pictured) said this decision was taken following “deep misunderstanding with Germany over fundamental issues of concern to the Kingdom of Morocco.”

No further details were revealed but this situation comes a few months after the recent events about Western Sahara. Last December, the former US President Donald Trump said it will recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over the region but Germany condemned the decision through its envoy to the UN who said that his country “remains deeply committed to a political solution that is truly in the interest of all.”

Despite this antecedent, Morocco’s decision is quite surprising, especially since Germany is one of its main partners. According to figures reported by Bloomberg, Berlin lent the country about $1.5 billion in 2020. Also, the German government is one of the main backers of the renewable energy program that Rabat has been implementing for years.

Last July, the two countries signed agreements worth $813 million to finance projects in the renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable economic development, and water resource management sectors.

Moroccan authorities are expected to give more details on the real reasons behind their decision in the coming days. Until things get back to normal, “any exception to this suspension could only be made after an explicit prior agreement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and Moroccan expatriates," says the letter from Minister Bourita.

Moutiou Adjibi Nourou