Washington / Morocco News Board ---     The Moroccan government lost confidence in the ability of Mr. Christopher Ross, the United Nations Secretary General (UNSG) personal envoy for Western Sahara, to mediate a solution to the Western Sahara conflict. Rabat has been lobbying behind the scene to get Mr. Ross dismissed. Unconfirmed press stories out of the United Nations are reporting on an eminent announcement by the UNSG regarding Mr. Ross removal and his replacement by a German diplomat.

Washington / Morocco News Board--- "Heimat -Liebe statt- Marokkaner Diebe " is not one of Joseph Goebbels Nazi slogans from the Third Reich era; it is rather the language on an election poster belonging to the Freedom Party of Austria (Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs or (FPÖ )). The controversial slogan that reads in English “The love of country rather than Moroccan thieves” was the FPÖ’s candidate motto during the recent election for city council in Innsbruck, Austria.

Washington/ Morocco News Board-- Morocco’s swift denunciation of the Touareg rebel’s declaration of independence for the Azawad region in Northern Mali seems out of touch with the feelings of large segments of the Moroccan public. Foreign Minister El Othmani's decision to issue a statement rejecting Azawad independence was deemed by Moroccan nationalists and Amazigh activists as a “rush of judgment” and “not in the best interest” of Morocco and its national cause (i.e. the conflict over Moroccan rule  in Western Sahara).

Ft. Lauderdale, FL/Morocco Board News-- The nomination of Mr. Saad Eddine El Othmani as Morocco’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs issued from a political party rather than a Royal appointee was a trademark of the new political era In Morocco. The Royal decision to let the Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) run foreign policy, an area that was Royal palace domain, was supposed to be a sign that Morocco is changing. 

Washington  / Morocco Board News--Recent developments in Morocco make the banning of a politico-religious group such as Al Adl wal Ihsane, with its large followings, counterproductive, shortsighted and unproductive. It is political unwise to keep such a significant player outside the political arena. Keeping the banned Islamist association Al Adl wal Ihsane (Justice and Spirituality-AJS) underground jeopardizes the stability and security of Morocco and shrink the legitimacy of Morocco’s recent political openings.

Washington  / Morocco Board News--The Tuareg rebellion in northern Mali has exposed the limitations and the depth of the regional powers’ efforts to contain lawlessness, terrorism and political instability in the Sahel and the Algerian Sahara.

Washington  / Morocco Board News--Morocco’s soccer fans are still under the shock of their national’s team early exit at the African Nations Cup (ANC 2012). Morocco came to Gabon and Equatorial Guinea as a favorite to win the tournament just to be routed by archrival Tunisia and an emerging Gabon team. The fans reactions to this humiliating showing were emotional, raw and livid. The Moroccan press blamed the coach, Eric Gerets, while some fans questioned the commitment of some national players. The Moroccans describe their teams’ showing in the ANC 2012 as a “national disaster”.

  Washington  / Morocco Board News--Reports of the upcoming visit by the new Moroccan Foreign Minister to Algiers are signs that recent political and social events in North Africa are forcing the Algerian government and the Moroccan authorities to reconsider their long simmering rivalry. Morocco and Algeria have been in a state of  “undeclared war” since the beginning of hostility in the Western Sahara in 1975. However, the toppling of the Tunisian, Egyptian and Libyan dictatorships is forcing the aging Algerian Political and Military leaderships to reconsider their regional strategy. For its part, the Moroccan authorities, under similar pressures but with more wiggling room, hastened political reforms in the Kingdom leading to the formation of an Islamist government issued from the opposition.