Since President Kaïs Saïed extended a warm welcome to the Polisario leader in late August 2022, relations between Morocco and Tunisia have been at a standstill. Rabat recalled its ambassador for consultations, prompting Tunis to do the same. Three years into this unofficial freeze, former Tunisian ambassador Elyes Kasri is now calling on his government to reestablish ties with the Kingdom. «Those few Tunisians trying to drive a wedge between Tunisia and Morocco overlook the deep connections between the two peoples and the similarities in many socio-economic policies», he lamented. «Certain ill-intentioned neighbors seem to want to instill a sense of conspiracy among Tunisians to divide these two brotherly nations, both proud of their rich and glorious past». The diplomat highlighted two notable instances of Moroccan solidarity with Tunisia. He brought up «the unforgettable gesture of the late King Hassan II immediately following the Gafsa attack in January 1980 by a terrorist group, instigated by Libyan and Algerian neighbors, by offering all of Morocco's resources to Tunisia». He also praised «the gesture of King Mohammed VI» who privately visited Tunisia in June 2014, a time of instability that impacted the country's tourism.«He walked the streets of Tunis without a security escort to demonstrate to the world that Tunisia is a welcoming and safe country», Kasri recalled. The diplomat urged Tunisian leaders to «address the blunders and misunderstandings that have accumulated to the detriment of their higher interests and to return to the core principles of their diplomacy, which emphasize positive neutrality in the region and good relations with all Maghreb countries and peoples, especially Morocco». Ambassador Kasri asserted that «by antagonizing Morocco, Tunisia has significantly diminished its influence in the region, thereby seriously harming its interests.» He concluded by stating that «with Security Council resolution 2797, which has effectively ended the notion of the Sahrawi republic seeking independence from the 'Moroccan colonial yoke,' it is high time to focus on restoring Tunisian-Moroccan relations and prioritizing Tunisia's higher interests in our diplomatic and geostrategic agenda».
