Publication

This brief discusses how Morocco has been trying to raise its political profile in West Africa and the Sahel, primarily by using anti-extremist religious diplomacy. The brief's author also discusses how the kingdom has boosted its economic ties with Sub-Saharan Africa, and attempted to become a preferred entry point for Western investors. Whether these three measures will ultimately work or not, however, will depend on Morocco's ability to surmount certain obstacles -- i.e., the unresolved Western Sahara conflict, Morocco's rivalry with Algeria, and the country's approach towards democratization.