Morocco seems to draw the portrait of its relations with the European Union and Sub-Saharan African countries including the African Union over the Western Sahara issue. Accordingly, the Moroccanism component of the postcolonial Moroccan national identity is preferred to Europeanism and Africanism when it comes to the Western Sahara issue. But a more important point is that Moroccanism was a strong component not only for Western Sahara but even after the postcolonial period. In an article, Belhoucine advised a re-analysis of the colonial past to pacify the impacts of colonialism on individual existence and state corps definitions of Moroccanness. From this point, it is clearly understood that he actually wants the same to be done in Morocco:
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It is evident that the ones who sacrificed their liberty and their lives are the heroes of this history.
Not only elites but also intellectuals defended the Africanism of Morocco. Among them, one said:
We are maybe the African state that is best cooperating with Latin America because we have the instrument of the Spanish language. In the process of decolonization, Morocco represents a unique case. It is a parenthesis in a long history if we take into account 50 years of colonization.
However, again, the Moroccanism component of the postcolonial Moroccan national identity suppressed Africanism when King Hassan II stated that Morocco would withdraw from the Organization of African Union (OAU) if the organization recognizes the Sahraoui Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). The OAU recognized SADR eventually, and Morocco withdrew its membership. In other words, Moroccanism was preferred to Africanism. And on October 7, 1984, Moroccan Princess Laila Fatima Zahra stated the Africanism of Morocco in the African Women Seminar in Casablanca. By referring to the word “us”, Zahra referred that Morocco was an African state and that Moroccan people are …show more content…
I benefited from my friend President François Mitterand [The French President at that time] so that it reaches him. Before being commercial or economic, Morocco’s demand to be a member of the EEC has a political [politico-cultural ] character. In fact, we think that our choice corresponds to the ones of Europe [France] in the domains of institutions, liberties, public freedoms, political organizations, and trade unions. Our options are therefore similar. Moreover, Morocco estimates to be the closest to Europe, more than Greece. It is certain that the states of the Common Market are divided into two groups: the Southern group and the Northern group. Climatically, the states of the Southern group are concurrent with Morocco. Northern states are another subject. We have a geopolitical ambition to bring Southern Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa to Europe via the Mediterranean Sea .
The link established between Europe and France by King Hassan II is also observable in the minds of several contemporary Moroccans who witnessed the period of Morocco’s application to the EEC in 1987. Among them, a professor of economics in Casablanca, Dr. Mazraoui
It is evident that the ones who sacrificed their liberty and their lives are the heroes of this history.
Not only elites but also intellectuals defended the Africanism of Morocco. Among them, one said:
We are maybe the African state that is best cooperating with Latin America because we have the instrument of the Spanish language. In the process of decolonization, Morocco represents a unique case. It is a parenthesis in a long history if we take into account 50 years of colonization.
However, again, the Moroccanism component of the postcolonial Moroccan national identity suppressed Africanism when King Hassan II stated that Morocco would withdraw from the Organization of African Union (OAU) if the organization recognizes the Sahraoui Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). The OAU recognized SADR eventually, and Morocco withdrew its membership. In other words, Moroccanism was preferred to Africanism. And on October 7, 1984, Moroccan Princess Laila Fatima Zahra stated the Africanism of Morocco in the African Women Seminar in Casablanca. By referring to the word “us”, Zahra referred that Morocco was an African state and that Moroccan people are …show more content…
I benefited from my friend President François Mitterand [The French President at that time] so that it reaches him. Before being commercial or economic, Morocco’s demand to be a member of the EEC has a political [politico-cultural ] character. In fact, we think that our choice corresponds to the ones of Europe [France] in the domains of institutions, liberties, public freedoms, political organizations, and trade unions. Our options are therefore similar. Moreover, Morocco estimates to be the closest to Europe, more than Greece. It is certain that the states of the Common Market are divided into two groups: the Southern group and the Northern group. Climatically, the states of the Southern group are concurrent with Morocco. Northern states are another subject. We have a geopolitical ambition to bring Southern Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa to Europe via the Mediterranean Sea .
The link established between Europe and France by King Hassan II is also observable in the minds of several contemporary Moroccans who witnessed the period of Morocco’s application to the EEC in 1987. Among them, a professor of economics in Casablanca, Dr. Mazraoui