Western Sahara, Crimea and Russia’s Interest in Morocco

Morocco plays an increasingly powerful role in Africa, with a modernized military, strategic geopolitical location and the fifth largest African GDP. Consequently, the EU and the US consider Morocco an important conduit between Europe and North Africa, collaborating with King Mohammed the VI on anti-terrorism, anti-trafficking, immigration and trade-related measures. However, a revanchist Russia, viewing North Africa as a gateway to expanded influence, has started positioning itself as a non-Western alternative for African states, trading in arms, energy and security agreements accompanied by minimal conditions. Surreptitiously, and amid discord in US and EU Western Sahara policy, Russia has cemented a Russo-Moroccan strategic framework, purportedly offered Morocco its S-400 weapons system and committed to deeper Russian involvement in the Western Sahara controversy, which, acknowledging Western Sahara’s comparisons to Crimea, could set a dangerous precedent for Russia’s occupation of Ukraine.