Morocco's "restraint" prevents relations with Senegal from a spiral of tension and tension

The continuation of the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s decision on the “Cannes Final” file is testing the fate of Moroccan-Senegalese relations, amid continued provocations by Dakar officials, the latest of which are statements by the President of the Senegal Football Association, Abdoulaye Vall, who ruled out returning the cup to Morocco.

Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe is trying to ease tensions during his visit to Senegal. While experts in the field of international relations confirm that “restraint” is an effective Moroccan means to confront various negative scenarios in the historical relations between the two countries.

Mohamed Nashtaoui, an expert in international relations, said, “Moroccan-Senegalese relations are very strong and strong, and this is clearly evident from the nature of the commercial and diplomatic ties that bring the two countries together, as Senegal has always been close to Morocco on various strategic issues, most notably the Moroccan Sahara issue.”

Nashtawi added, in a statement to Hespress, that these deep historical relations cannot be affected by any casual events, whether it is related to the course of the African Cup final or some urgent crises. The diplomatic structure between the two countries is immune to any vibrations that might affect the essence of the ongoing cooperation between Rabat and Dakar.

He continued: “The period following the African Cup final witnessed the convening of the Moroccan-Senegalese Joint Committee, which gave a strong impetus to bilateral issues in various economic, social, cultural and diplomatic fields, which confirms that the sporting spirit remains within its competitive framework without compromising the constants.”

According to the same speaker, religious relations are very special between the two parties. King Mohammed VI represents a role model and platform for the Tijaniya sect, and these deep spiritual ties constitute a safety valve that prevents relations from being affected by any accident or emergency, regardless of its nature or temporal context.

Abbas Al-Wardi, a political analyst, professor of public law, and expert in international relations, said, “Diplomatic indicators confirm the strength of relations between the Moroccan royal institution and the Presidency of Senegal, which was recently embodied in the royal congratulations on Senegalese National Day. The Royal Court’s communiqué also confirmed that football remains a sporting event governed by independent laws, and cannot affect the depth of love and mutual appreciation between the two countries.”

Al-Wardi added, in a statement to Hespress, that the football disputes that occur are linked to independent sports institutions. Morocco and Senegal do not interfere in the decisions of “CAF” or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS), and these bodies have the independence of decision-making in evaluating and implementing laws, and it is necessary to distance bilateral relations from any debates that may occur in forums and football stadiums.