The first telegraph line ever connecting Morocco to Europe was installed by the British. Laid at sea between Gibraltar and Tangier in the 1880s, the cable was the result of years of lobbying and negotiations between the British government and the Makhzen. These negotiations speak volumes about European interventionism in the kingdom and the latter’s struggle to resist foreign pressure and protect its sovereignty.
The Algerians have spared no effort in trying to win over President Donald Trump, even going so far as to grant the exploitation rights for the Gara Djebilet iron mine in the Tindouf region. Under the terms of the 1972 agreement between King Hassan II and President Boumediene, half of the mine was to be allocated to Morocco.