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{{Infobox Bilateral relations|Morocco – Qatar|Qatar|Morocco|map=Morocco-Qatar Locator.svg}}
The [[Morocco|Kingdom of Morocco]] and the [[Qatar|State of Qatar]] formed diplomatic relations in 1972.<ref name="rabate">{{cite web|url=http://rabat.embassy.qa/en/kingdom-of-morocco/qatar---morocco-relations|title=Qatar - Morocco Relations|publisher=Qatar Embassy in Rabat - Kingdom of Morocco|
Politically, Qatar supports [[Political status of Western Sahara|Moroccan claims]] on [[Western Sahara]],<ref name="mwn">{{cite web|url=https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2011/12/19986/arabs-mistake-morocco-and-qatar-relations/|title=Arabs' Mistake: Morocco and Qatar relations|publisher=Morocco World News|date=21 December 2011|
Both countries are members of the [[Arab League]], [[Organisation of Islamic Cooperation]], [[Group of 77]] and [[Non-Aligned Movement]].
==Diplomatic representation==▼
==Diplomatic visits==
[[King Mohammed VI of Morocco]], who assumed power in 1999, made his first official visit to Qatar in June 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticlePrintPage.aspx?id=1259502&language=en|title=King Mohammed VI arrives in Doha|publisher=Kuwait News Agency|date=5 June 2002|
Emir [[Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani]] made his first visit to Morocco in October 2002.<ref name="rabate"/> In July 2005, he traveled to Morocco for an official two-day visit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bna.bh/portal/en/news/388900?date=2012-01-14|title=Amir of Qatar heads for Morocco Thursday|publisher=Bahrain News Agency|date=6 July 2005|
==Diplomatic cooperation==
===Western Sahara===
Qatar has confirmed its support for Morocco over [[Western Sahara]], however their support is sporadic and unstable due to perceived bias news from Al Jazeera and its interview with a number of Sahrawi dissidents opposing Moroccan Government.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/MTDyYovnBOs Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20151128142738/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTDyYovnBOs Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTDyYovnBOs| title = The Stream - Decades of dispute in Western Sahara | website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> However, with the Qatar crisis occurred in 2017, Al Jazeera has shifted into a more pro-Moroccan stance, in line with the Qatari Government.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2016/09/making-sense-tension-western-sahara-160914131548054.html | title=Making sense of the recent tension in Western Sahara }}</ref>
===Political===
After [[Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani]] successfully deposed his father [[Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani]] in 1995, he was not immediately accepted by [[Hassan II of Morocco|Hassan II]]. Qatar had uncertain relations with Morocco in the years proceeding Hamad's succession, mainly due to Qatar's [[Algeria–Qatar relations|existing relations]] with [[Algeria]] and [[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]]'s unfavorable coverage of Morocco.<ref name="historical">{{cite book|
In June 2000, Morocco withdrew its ambassador to Doha in response to Qatar casting a vote for Germany rather than Morocco in the host selection for the [[2006 FIFA World Cup]]. The two countries agreed to resume normal diplomatic relations in October 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.albawaba.com/news/morocco-qatar-agree-normalize-relations|title=Morocco, Qatar Agree to Normalize Relations|publisher=Al Bawaba|date=22 October 2000|
In August 2023, Qatar expressed interest in helping to mediate between Morocco and Algeria. According to a statement by the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Qatar)|Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs]], mending the relationship between the two countries "represents a major concern of the State of Qatar".<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 August 2023 |title=Qatar ‘open to mediate’ between Algeria and Morocco |url=https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230816-qatar-open-to-mediate-between-algeria-and-morocco/ |access-date=18 November 2023 |website=Middle East Monitor}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=16 August 2023 |title=Qatar Offers to Mediate Between Morocco and Algeria |url=https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/08/357103/qatar-offers-to-mediate-between-morocco-and-algeria |access-date=18 November 2023 |website=Morocco World News}}</ref>
====2017 Qatari diplomatic crisis====
{{Main|2017 Qatari diplomatic crisis}}
On 5 June 2017, a number of states led by [[Saudi Arabia]] cut ties with Qatar. Morocco stated that it would remain neutral in the crisis, and on 11 June, extended an offer for mediation of the dispute.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/morocco-offers-mediate-qatar-gcc-crisis-170611190417048.html|title=Morocco offers to mediate Qatar-GCC crisis|publisher=Al Jazeera|date=11 June 2017|
Although the Moroccan government has maintained a neutral stance, Morocco's leading party, the [[Justice and Development Party (Morocco)|Justice and Development Party]], proclaimed its support for Qatar in the dispute.<ref>{{cite
Displeased with Morocco's neutrality, certain media outlets in Saudi Arabia and the [[United Arab Emirates|UAE]], two of the blockading countries, have brought up the issue of Western Saharan independence in an attempt to influence Morocco to support the boycott of Qatar.<ref name="caught"/>
===Foreign aid===
In December 2013, Qatar pledged $1.25 billion to Morocco in [[Qatari foreign aid|foreign aid]]. The aid is part of a five-year package deal arranged by four members of the [[Gulf Cooperation Council|GCC]] to supply $5 billion worth of aid to Morocco, in an attempt to bolster its political security.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-morocco-qatar-aid/qatar-signs-aid-deal-worth-1-25-billion-for-morocco-idUSBRE9BR06520131228|title=Qatar signs aid deal worth $1.25 billion for Morocco|publisher=Reuters|date=28 December 2013|
===Economic===
A joint venture fund was set up between Morocco and Qatar's [[Qatar Investment Authority|sovereign wealth fund]] in November 2011. It was reportedly valued at $2 billion, with both partners contributing equal funding.<ref name="jv">{{cite web|url=http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL5E7MO3X820111124|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910040352/http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL5E7MO3X820111124
Morocco and Qatar's trade volume was valued at $70 million in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qatar-tribune.com/news-details/id/63243|title=Qatar-Morocco ties hold more potential, can grow beyond $70 mn trade: Towar|publisher=Qatar Tribune|author=Sameh Saeid|date=8 May 2017|
In 2016, Qatar ranked fifth in direct foreign investment in Morocco.<ref name="caught">{{cite web|url=http://carnegie-mec.org/diwan/71469|title=Caught in the Middle|author=Intissar Fakir|publisher=Carnegie Middle East Center|date=10 July 2017|
===Media===
In 1981, Qatar and Morocco signed a media agreement which entailed co-operation and exchange of news and data between the two countries' media organizations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.almeezan.qa/AgreementsPage.aspx?id=1010&language=en|title=Media Agreement between the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Morocco|publisher=Qatar Legal Portal|
Morocco was selected as host of [[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]]'s North African news show, ''Al-Hasad al-Magharibi'', in 2006. It was deemed an appropriate venue for the show's base of operations due to Morocco's lenient media laws relative to its neighbors. At the beginning of 2008, Moroccan authorities rescinded the network's permission to broadcast the show in the country under the pretense of technicalities. They then withdrew the accreditation of journalist Hassan Rachidi in June 2008 when he reported on a report released by a Moroccan-based human rights organization. This was followed by the revocation of two more journalists' accreditation in 2009, and in October 2010, the authorities officially revoked the accreditation of all of Al Jazeera's Morocco-based journalists. On 29 October, Morocco announced it would be shutting down all of Al Jazeera's operations in the country. The main reason cited by authorities was the perceived favoritism towards [[Western Sahara]]n independence.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2011/04/05/morocco-restore-accreditation-al-jazeera|title=Morocco: Restore Accreditation to Al Jazeera|publisher=Human Rights Watch|date=11 April 2011|
In a broadcasting of the [[2011 Pan Arab Games]] by Qatar-based [[Al Kass Sports Channels]], the map displayed on the screen depicting Morocco's territories did not include the disputed Western Sahara due to an alleged technical error.<ref name="mwn2">{{cite web|url=https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2011/12/18702/moroccan-hackers-attack-media-websites-in-qatar/|title=Moroccan hackers attack media websites in Qatar|publisher=Morocco World News|author=Rachid Bougha|date=11 December 2011|
▲Morocco was selected as host of [[Al Jazeera]]'s North African news show, ''Al-Hasad al-Magharibi'', in 2006. It was deemed an appropriate venue for the show's base of operations due to Morocco's lenient media laws relative to its neighbors. At the beginning of 2008, Moroccan authorities rescinded the network's permission to broadcast the show in the country under the pretense of technicalities. They then withdrew the accreditation of journalist Hassan Rachidi in June 2008 when he reported on a report released by a Moroccan-based human rights organization. This was followed by the revocation of two more journalists' accreditation in 2009, and in October 2010, the authorities officially revoked the accreditation of all of Al Jazeera's Morocco-based journalists. On 29 October, Morocco announced it would be shutting down all of Al Jazeera's operations in the country. The main reason cited by authorities was the perceived favoritism towards [[Western Sahara]]n independence.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2011/04/05/morocco-restore-accreditation-al-jazeera|title=Morocco: Restore Accreditation to Al Jazeera|publisher=Human Rights Watch|date=11 April 2011|accessdate=9 September 2017}}</ref> Bilateral relations between the two countries did not suffer from the incident.<ref name="caught"/>
The Moroccan embassy is located in Doha.<ref>{{cite web|title=Moroccan Embassy in Doha, Qatar|url=https://www.embassypages.com/missions/embassy19624/|website=embassypages.com|access-date=8 September 2017}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Annuaire|url=http://www.diplomatie.ma/en/directory|access-date=2022-01-31|website=Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates|language=en}}</ref>
The Qatari embassy is located in [[Rabat]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Qatari Embassy in Rabat, Morocco|url=https://www.embassypages.com/missions/embassy9314/|website=embassypages.com|access-date=8 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Qatar|url=https://www.mofa.gov.qa/en/home#The-World|access-date=2022-01-31|website=www.mofa.gov.qa}}</ref>
▲In a broadcasting of the [[2011 Pan Arab Games]] by Qatar-based [[Al Kass Sports Channels]], the map displayed on the screen depicting Morocco's territories did not include the disputed Western Sahara due to an alleged technical error.<ref name="mwn2">{{cite web|url=https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2011/12/18702/moroccan-hackers-attack-media-websites-in-qatar/|title=Moroccan hackers attack media websites in Qatar|publisher=Morocco World News|author=Rachid Bougha|date=11 December 2011|accessdate=9 September 2017}}</ref> Despite Qatar's previous affirmations recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara,<ref name="mwn"/> a group of Moroccan hackers launched an operation called 'Moroccan Vengeance', in which they would target websites belonging to the Qatari government. Qatar's [[2022 World Cup]] Facebook page and the official page of the Pan-Arab Games were among the hacked websites.<ref name="mwn2"/>
==References==
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