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Home-sharing platform Airbnb has recently bowed to pressure from a foreign activist group, removing legitimate references to Morocco from accommodation listings located in the country’s southern provinces.
The move represents a troubling capitulation to political manipulation that ignores the reality on the ground, as the platform quietly updated its website after receiving a letter from Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW).
Responding to WSRW, a network of foreign activists with no connection to the region, Airbnb has removed cities like Laayoune, Dakhla, and Boujdour, which have been integral parts of Morocco for decades.
Foreign interference in Morocco’s domestic affairs
WSRW’s letter to Airbnb on June 13, 2025, represents yet another attempt by foreign activists to interfere in Morocco’s internal affairs.
The organization, which operates from European capitals, has no legitimate status to dictate how international companies should label Moroccan territory.
Erik Hagen of WSRW has celebrated what he called a “first step,” revealing the group’s ultimate goal: to economically isolate Morocco’s southern provinces and undermine the development projects that have transformed the region.
The move reveals foreign lobbied interference seeking to undermine Morocco’s territorial integrity. Algeria’s regime continues to lead lobbying efforts, spending billions of dollars to challenge Morocco’s territorial integrity by backing the Polisario Front.
WSRW’s celebration of Airbnb’s decision as aligning with “international court rulings” ignores the growing international recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces.
Read also: Kenya-Morocco Relations Strengthen Following Nairobi’s Newfound Sahara Position
Morocco has been garnering increasing international support for its sovereignty over provinces in Western Sahara.
A growing number of countries have endorsed Morocco’s autonomy initiative, exceeding 115 countries, including major international powers like the US, UK, France, and Spain.
Multiple countries have opened consulates in the region, and major international agreements acknowledge Morocco’s administrative control.
Airbnb’s decision is likely to receive a response, not only from the government but also from Moroccans.
Many Moroccans use Airbnb to book accommodations across the country.
Moroccans are known to respond swiftly to such moves, often launching campaigns that don’t go unnoticed.
Recently, Glovo drivers in Morocco staged protests after the company displayed a map that excluded the country’s southern provinces.
The demonstrations gained traction both online and on the ground, prompting Glovo to issue a statement blaming the incident on a technical error and claiming the issue had been resolved.
The incident echoes Morocco’s consistent stance, emphasizing that the Sahara dossier is the lens through which the country views all international relations and national priorities.
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