Special to WorldTribune.com

Morocco has blocked the opening of Ikea’s first store in the kingdom.

The official reason given was lack of proper permits, but most observers believe it was over Sweden’s plans to recognize the Polisario Front’s pursuit of an independent Western Sahara.

Ikea was founded in Sweden in 1943.

Ikea had planned to open the store in Morocco’s largest mall near the city of Mohammedia in a joint venture that included Dubai-based Al-Futtaim Group, Moroccan supermarket chain Marjane Holding and Portugal’s Sonae Sierra.

Morocco claims Western Sahara, which is rich in offshore fishing, phosphates and potentially large reserves of crude oil, as its territory and has controlled most the sparsely populated stretch of desert since 1975.

The United Nations formed a commission to draw up a referendum on Western Sahara’s future more than 20 years ago. The referendum has has never taken place.

Sweden is among a small number of nations (some others in Scandinavia and a few in the African Union) who have supported Polisario Front’s push for a Sahrawi Republic. No Western powers have recognized the Polisario Front’s proposed republic.

The Swedish government and Ikea could not be reached for comment on the cancellation of the store’s opening.

  Mohammedia, Morocco blocks Ikea store over Sweden’s support for independent Western Sahara, Polisario Front