Abstract

This article focuses on the Moroccan intervention during the Shaba crisis of 1977-1978 when invading rebels from nearby Angola were destabilizing the Zairean regime of Mobutu Sese Seko. The direct Moroccan military intervention prevented a collapse of Mobutu’s rule. This article sheds light on the motivation of the Moroccan ruler, King Hassan II, to support a fellow African leader. Part of the motivation lies with the important historic role played by Morocco in the first year of independence of Congo. Morocco’s involvement in 1960-61 extended beyond the delivery of a large number of troops for the UN mission, and included direct contact with key decision makers in newly independent Congo, chief among them, a young Mobutu. The analysis adds to the existing Cold war studies, by explaining how a non-Western actor behaved and what motivated this behavior. It helps in understanding the cooperation taking place between leaders in the Global South. It also places the intervention within the larger Cold War context. This comes at a time when Middle Eastern states, among them Egypt, Iran and Saudi Arabia were linking up with Morocco and France to fill the void left by the United States in the 1970s.

摘要

本文的重点是在1977-1978年沙巴（Shaba）危机期间的摩洛哥干预行动，当时来自附近安哥拉的叛乱分子破坏了Mobutu Sese Seko的扎伊尔政权的稳定。摩洛哥的直接军事干预阻止了蒙博托统治的瓦解。本文阐明了摩洛哥统治者哈桑二世国王支持一位非洲领导人的动机。动机的部分原因在于摩洛哥在刚果独立第一年发挥的重要历史性作用。摩洛哥在1960-61年的参与范围不仅仅包括为联合国任务运送大量部队，还包括与刚独立的刚果（主要是年轻的蒙博托）​​的主要决策者直接接触。该分析增加了现有的冷战研究，通过解释非西方演员的行为方式以及促使这种行为的原因。它有助于了解全球南方领导人之间的合作。它还将干预置于更大的冷战范围内。这是在中东国家（包括埃及，伊朗和沙特阿拉伯）与摩洛哥和法国建立联系以填补美国在1970年代留下的空白之际。