Knowra Greater Morocco Greater Morocco Greater Morocco is a Moroccan nationalist concept that claims territories beyond present-day Morocco on historical grounds, including Western Sahara, Mauritania, and parts of Algeria and Mali.
Moroccan nationalism : A political movement seeking Moroccan independence, national unity, and sovereignty. Greater Morocco emerged as an irredentist strand of Moroccan national unity politics.
Western Sahara conflict : A conflict over the status of Western Sahara involving Morocco, the Polisario Front, and regional and international actors. Morocco’s claim to Western Sahara is the most enduring territorial issue linked to Greater Morocco.
Uti possidetis juris : A principle that newly independent states retain the administrative boundaries they inherited at independence. It supports preserving postcolonial borders rather than redrawing them through historical claims.
Organization of African Unity : A continental organization founded in 1963 to promote African unity, cooperation, and the sovereignty of member states. Its defense of inherited borders limited support for changing boundaries through historical claims.
Istiqlal Party : A Moroccan political party founded in 1944 that led the independence movement against French and Spanish rule. The party promoted territorial claims associated with Greater Morocco during decolonization.
Mauritania–Morocco relations : The political relationship between Mauritania and Morocco, shaped by their shared history and competing territorial claims. Morocco recognized Mauritania in 1969 after previously asserting claims over its territory.
Self-determination : The principle that peoples may determine their political status and pursue their economic, social, and cultural development. Sahrawi advocates invoke this principle against Morocco’s territorial claim.
Arab League : A regional organization of Arab states founded in 1945 to coordinate political, economic, and cultural cooperation. Its members have taken differing positions on Morocco’s claims and the Western Sahara dispute.
Allal al-Fassi : A Moroccan nationalist leader and Istiqlal Party co-founder who advocated claims associated with Greater Morocco. His advocacy helped make the concept a prominent political program.
Algeria–Morocco relations : The relationship between Algeria and Morocco, marked by border disputes, rivalry, and intermittent diplomatic crises. Greater Morocco claims over parts of Algeria contributed to early post-independence tensions.
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