ALGIERS – The Moroccan Makhzen regime is pushing forward with suspicious maneuvers seized control of the line of TV5Monde. Rabat is leveraging millions of euros in budget injections to secure a seat on the board of directors of the global Francophone media conglomerate.

Despite fierce opposition from prominent figures within the network, alongside scathing reports from media and human rights organizations, TV5Monde recently announced that Morocco has become the first African nation to initiate procedures to join the network’s circle of government funders.
This move aligns with TV5Monde’s Strategic Plan (2025–2028). Under this plan, the six current funding governments (France, Switzerland, Belgium/Wallonia–Brussels, Canada, Quebec, and Monaco) decided to open the network’s capital and governance to other African Francophone nations holding membership in the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF).

Led by Morocco’s Ambassador to Paris, Samira Sitail, Rabat’s sudden financial push has sparked deep concerns within the media landscape.
Buying Influence and Whitewashing a Tarnished Image Established in 1984, TV5 Monde is the world’s largest French-speaking public television network, broadcasting to nearly 200 countries and territories and reaching hundreds of millions of viewers. As an official operator of La Francophonie, it is governed by a charter that strictly mandates editorial independence, cultural diversity, and democratic values.
However, Morocco’s entry as a financial backer raises serious questions about its hidden motives. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that Morocco will inject substantial financial contributions into the network’s budget in exchange for a seat on the board of directors—a position that would grant it leverage over programming and geopolitical orientation.

Observers view this step as a desperate attempt by the Makhzen regime to buy a new virginity and whitewash its international image. Morocco’s global reputation has been severely tarnished by what experts call “diplomacy of corruption and bribery,” famously highlighted by espionage scandals and corruption cases in Europe. Furthermore, the regime continues to face intense international scrutiny over its involvement in transnational drug trafficking, a deteriorating domestic human rights record, and ongoing violations in the occupied territory of Western Sahara.

While TV5Monde insists that Morocco’s integration remains strictly conditional upon absolute respect for the network’s charter of editorial independence and professional ethics, the controversial deal continues to trigger warnings of a direct threat to the broadcaster’s integrity.
Source: Algeria Gate – Arabic Version



