Morocco to boycott Swedish companies over support for Polisario Front

The Moroccan government decided to boycott Swedish companies yesterday following the government in Stockholm’s “determination” to support what is known as the “Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic”, established unilaterally by the Polisario Front.

Communication Minister and government spokesman Mustapha Khalfi told a press conference in the capital Rabat, “We are heading towards a boycott of Swedish companies according to the principle of reciprocity after similar campaigns to boycott Moroccan companies.”

This was Morocco’s response to what the minister described as “attempts to recognise the alleged republic” without revealing the details of the recognition and when it would take place.

Khalfi added that since the Swedish have now boycotted Moroccan companies and launched one campaign after the other in this regard, “We will face these measures which are no longer limited to Swedish territories, as they include many other Moroccan companies.” Sweden, he explained, has declared an economic war on Morocco in calling for a boycott of Moroccan companies as well as foreign companies that have relations with Morocco. “It is not only a political position,” Khalfi insisted.

The Moroccan official added that the foreign minister met his Swedish counterpart, Margot Wallstrom, several times in the UN headquarters over the past few days, and expressed Morocco’s “outrage” regarding Sweden’s “assault” on the North African state’s territorial integrity.

Furthermore, the foreign ministry called the Swedish ambassador in Rabat on Tuesday to protest against the Stockholm government’s intention to recognise the Democratic Sahrawi Republic (SADR).

It is worth noting that the authorities in Casablanca have already blocked the opening of a branch of IKEA, the Swedish furniture store, which was scheduled to open last week, citing a lack of the necessary permits.