Morocco Recalls Envoy to Saudi Arabia for Consultations: Moroccan Media Reports

RABAT (Reuters) – Morocco has recalled its ambassador to Saudi Arabia for consultations, signaling potential strains in the relationship between the two traditional Sunni Muslim allies over issues related to Yemen, Qatar, and Western Sahara, according to Moroccan media reports on Friday.

Ambassador Mustapha Mansouri confirmed the recall to a pro-establishment news outlet. He noted that while Morocco and Saudi Arabia share strong and longstanding ties, they are currently experiencing a “transient crisis.”

There has been no official comment from Morocco’s foreign ministry, and Mansouri did not respond to inquiries. The Saudi embassy in Rabat also declined to comment.

A government official indicated that the ambassador had been in Morocco for about a week, though the reason for this was not specified. The recall follows the airing of a documentary by Saudi TV channel Al Arabiya, which presented a perspective on the Western Sahara issue that differs from Morocco’s stance.

Historically, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations have supported Morocco’s claim to sovereignty over Western Sahara, formerly a Spanish colony that is contested by the Algeria-supported Polisario Front.

The Al Arabiya documentary was released shortly after Qatari TV channel Al Jazeera featured an interview with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, who expressed concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Morocco, a member of the Arab coalition involved in Yemen’s war, has since withdrawn from military operations and was absent from the alliance’s recent military exercises and ministerial gatherings.

Bourita stated that Morocco had “changed the form and content of its participation in the Arab coalition after assessing current developments on the ground.”

Tensions in Moroccan-Saudi relations appear to have been escalating since Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman assumed power, according to political analysts in Morocco. Notably, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates did not support Morocco’s bid to host the 2026 World Cup after Morocco took a neutral position in the diplomatic rift between Qatar and several Gulf states that severed ties with Doha.

Last year, the Saudi crown prince was not welcomed during a visit to Morocco, which Bourita attributed to scheduling conflicts. Additionally, Morocco refrained from publicly supporting Saudi Arabia following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate in Istanbul, an incident that significantly impacted Riyadh’s international standing.