Partie 2: Les réactions à l'article: La richesse archéologique du Maroc incommensurable du Maroc et la réécriture de l'histoire 1342

Aziz Daouda, 4 mon.

- Politics - History - Society -

1.2 min read.

Mokhtar Belasri C'est une fierté de voir un tel article, bravo ssi Aziz, le pays a besoin de plusieurs musée. Voir naître un grand est une bonne nouvelle, nous avons au museum de Marrakech, qui hélas n'a rien de museum que le nom, énormément d'échantillons de fossiles de plusieurs bassins notamment Argana et le bassin des phosphates d'où sont extraits plusieurs précieux fossiles par l'équipe du chercheur Jalil qui a émigré au museum de Paris, ces trésors ont besoin d'être sauvegardés dans un musée digne de ce nom, le Maroc n' a pas délivré tous ses secrets historiques et archéologiques et nous avons grand besoin de transmettre aux générations futures les richesses de ce fameux pays qui est le nôtre. Encore une fois bravo. Abil belgaid Cher Ssi Aziz, Félicitations et grand bravo pour cet article d’une grande richesse et d’une profondeur remarquable; Vous mettez en évidence avec clarté et passion l’importance de l’archéologie non seulement dans la préservation de notre patrimoine, mais aussi dans la construction d’un récit historique objectif et affranchi des biais du passé. L’initiative de ce grand musée est une avancée majeure qui renforcera sans aucun doute l’ancrage identitaire des Marocains et valorisera notre contribution à l’histoire universelle. Une réflexion qui pourrait encore enrichir ce débat serait d’explorer comment cette réécriture de l’histoire pourrait être intégrée concrètement dans l’enseignement scolaire et universitaire. En effet, au-delà du musée, il serait pertinent de voir comment ces découvertes archéologiques pourraient nourrir une réforme des curricula, permettant aux jeunes générations de s’approprier pleinement cette richesse et d’en faire un socle de leur identité. Merci pour cette analyse éclairante et au plaisir de vous lire à nouveau. Sportivement Adil BELGAID Mohamed Benamour Je suis à l étranger où j ai vu l article sur la richesse archéologique du Maroc comme la création du Musée qui lui est consacré. Cela honore notre pays et aussi des hommes comme vous dont le dévouement autant que le parcours est particulièrement remarquable. Un immense bravo en attendant mon retour au Maroc pour échanger de vive voix sur différents sujets… très bonne fin du Ramadan. Med Benamour

Jacob Zuma’s Visit to Morocco Sparks Diplomatic Shake-up Over Moroccan Sahara Conflict 295

Aziz Daouda, 1 d.

- World Politics - Politics - History -

2.5 min read.

The visit of Jacob Zuma to the Kingdom of Morocco triggered a desperate diplomatic response from the Polisario Front in South Africa, marking a significant political upheaval around the Moroccan Sahara conflict. Since then, the Polisario and its patron have shown nervousness reflecting a loss of influence even in African regions previously aligned with separatist positions. But who is this man whose words have caused such turmoil and dismay? Jacob Zuma is a South African statesman. He is a former anti-apartheid fighter imprisoned for ten years on the notorious Robben Island. Supported by the African National Congress (ANC), he rose through political ranks to become Vice-President of South Africa from 1999 to 2005, then President from 2009 to 2018, succeeding Thabo Mbeki. Zuma also served as ANC president from 2007 to 2017. Despite legal troubles and leaving the presidency, he maintains serious political weight, notably through the uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party he now leads, which became the third-largest political force in South Africa after the May 2024 elections. Therefore, Zuma is not just any South African speaking on such an important issue for the continent and world. On July 15, 2025, in Rabat, on behalf of himself and the MK party, Zuma took an unambiguous stance supporting Morocco, breaking with Pretoria's relatively recent official line. He called Morocco's autonomy proposal a "pragmatic and balanced solution," guaranteeing Moroccan sovereignty over its southern provinces while offering substantial local governance to the populations. This position, officially supported by MK, represents a dramatic turnaround in South Africa and the region. Until now, South Africa backed the puppet Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and the Polisario Front, framed as pan-African solidarity against colonization, consistent with Algeria's ideological stance. The argument for separatism artificially tied to Morocco's southern provinces ignores that Spanish colonization in this integral part of the Cherifian Empire lasted about 91 years (1884–1975), when Spain declared a protectorate over the Western Sahara region and governed it until its 1975 withdrawal under the Madrid Agreement with Morocco. Since Nelson Mandela's death, South Africa had quickly sided with Algeria's vision of an independent state between Mauritania and Morocco, overlooking Morocco's historic support for South Africa's anti-apartheid struggle. In reaction to Zuma's recent statements in Rabat, where he explicitly supported Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara, the Polisario swiftly sent its Foreign Minister Mohamed Yeslem Beissat to Pretoria. This move comes amid tense diplomacy and a major shift in South African policy on the formerly Spanish Sahara. Until then, all political forces in the country were aligned with the government’s position. Panicked, the Polisario dispatched a delegation led by Beissat, who knows the field well after years representing the entity, officially invited by the ANC under Cyril Ramaphosa to attend a "liberation movements summit" in Pretoria from July 25 to 28. This summit, themed "Defending liberation gains, promoting integrated socio-economic development, and strengthening solidarity for a better Africa," also gathers other supporters of similar causes like Palestinian Jebril Rajoub, allied with Algeria and Polisario. The event, organized by the South African embassy in Algiers, aims solely to back separatist positions and offer support. The ANC quickly condemned Zuma's support for Western Sahara's Moroccan sovereignty on principle, accusing him of betrayal and dissidence after his split from the party. However, not all ANC factions still adhere strictly to Ramaphosa's official line. Many ANC leaders now recognize that siding with Algeria’s unproductive position has been a significant loss for their country. The influence of Zuma, a powerful political figure, has forced the Polisario and its patron to coordinate their response amid the new diplomatic dynamics intensified by his backing of Morocco. This diplomatic earthquake happens as several African states have progressively withdrawn recognition of the SADR in favor of the Moroccan plan, potentially further isolating the Polisario and Algeria continentally. During his visit, Zuma reminded the historical role Morocco played in the anti-apartheid struggle, seemingly lamenting his country's unexpected post-Mandela shift. He advocated for a strategic alliance based on respecting African states' territorial integrity, moving away from separatist support—a pragmatic stance shared by many South African officials. A rapprochement between Morocco and South Africa, the only African countries with truly industrial and diversified economies, could benefit both powers and the continent as a whole. The era of imported ideologies serving as democratic facades for military dictatorships is over and no longer effective. Thus, the Polisario minister’s visit to Pretoria appears a desperate attempt to limit the impact of a shift that could deeply transform political balances in Southern Africa and accelerate Morocco’s strengthening continental and international position