4 minute read
Opinion
"We are all Moroccan" The World Cup and Moroccan Soft Power
OPINION PIECE BY ANDREW M ROSEMARINE, MOROCCO Morocco's sensational success in coming 4th at the World Cup has been welcomed worldwide by Jews, Africans, Arabs, Muslims, and Third World citizens, rich and poor alike. Why? With what consequences?
Movie mogul Sam Goldwyn used to say "I want a story that begins with an earthquake, and moves its way up to a climax." That is Morocco's story. Come here today, and that's what you'll see! For a Moroccan earthquake has shaken up World Soccer. Morocco is the 1st ever Muslim and Arab State, and the 1st ever African Country, to reach the Semi-Finals of the World Cup. In this, the first ever World Cup staged in a Middle Eastern State, Qatar, at enormous cost in stadium-builders lives and petrodollars, Jews, Muslims, Arabs and Africans, have rightly seen Morocco as their Heroes. They have exultantly cheered them on. Even Algerians, often Morocco's rivals, have been praising them volubly This Moroccan success is of major significance in the non-soccer world too, because it has boosted Moroccan Jewish pride worldwide, and Muslim and Arab pride among the masses. This also gives Morocco extra clout internationally. Just how high will Morocco rise? Morocco deserves its success. Not just because its plucky players have killed football giants and former empires, in the form of Spain, Portugal and Belgium. But because Morocco has pushed pluralism forwards in its international relations, led regional progress in human rights and green energy, and successfully reached out to West and East, Progressives and Reactionaries, Democracies and Despots. Like a good genie, Morocco appears in many different forms. To Israel, Morocco is a shining example of relations with an Arab State at their best ever. The two countries have developed a deep and cordial co-operation in all fields at a breath-taking speed. To Americans, she is moderate and peaceful, the first country to recognize the USA, and a strategic ally today, a bulwark against extremism. To the Chinese, she is an ambitious economy and trading partner, offering new markets in Africa. To Russia, she is a source of agricultural products and fish, careful not to condemn Russia at the UN. To Britain, she is a centuries old ally, with shared Monarchies, aspirations to increase its English language facilities, and a much valued agricultural and energy partner, following Brexit. To France, she is a former colony, still largely francophone, a captive market. In short, under her popular king, Mohamed VI, and her sophisticated career-diplomat Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita, she is versatile and protean. These diplomatic gifts also enabled her to win US recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara, benefit from booming ties with Israel, while retaining cordial relations with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. This was a major coup to bring about in the first place, and a difficult act to sustain. But Morocco's diplomatic wizardry manages to keep all three sides on good terms. Morocco's gifts include soft powers. Her sun, sea, colourful folklore and cuisine, make her a popular tourist haven. Her success on the soccer field is now bringing her unprecedented popularity throughout Africa and the Third World, whose favourite sport is Soccer. Governmental and private sectors have seen immediate benefits from all this international close cooperation. Many poor Moroccans however often feel detached from the economic growth and disenfranchised. Morocco needs to ensure that more resources reach the poor soon. She has made enormous progress in diversifying and beginning to modernize the economy, in boosting energy and agricultural production, and water desalination and purification. Under Mohamed VI, human rights , especially women's freedoms, and democracy, have leapt forwards, but there is much yet to achieve, ( as much improvement is needed in our Western democracies too.) The great opportunity that all of this popularity gives Morocco is progress in solving her major domestic and foreign problem: many States' unwillingness to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara. The US has led the way among Western Democracies, and can play a leading role in nudging her leading allies in the same direction, including my own country Britain, Germany, Italy and Canada.
Morocco's enemy, the Marxist Polisario Front, is at a low, because of corruption and failing to help most Sahraouis in any concrete form. Its chief funder and armer, the current Algerian government, will be replaced by other administrations, with different priorities. One of them, will realize the terrible waste of Algerian ressources spent on the Polisario's ever-decreasing influence on Morocco-controlled land, and abandon the Polisario. For me, the writing is on the wall. History is moving with Morocco. Onwards and upwards Morocco!
Andrew M Rosemarine runs a Britishbased international law office, is a former Research Fellow of the Harry S.Truman Institute for Peace, Jerusalem, a Broadcaster and Columnist , and has 3 Oxford and Brussels law degrees. He addresses the UN in Manhattan on Morocco, the Western Sahara and International Law, each October.
