COBESA, el comité belga para apoyar la soberanía marroquí en el Sáhara Occidental
The Moroccan question over Western Sahara has been gaining importance in recent months. Several countries have already accepted Morocco's plan for the territory and more and more are joining in, such as Spain, which recently decided to support the Alawite country's idea of autonomy for the territory. But in other cases, other nations have not yet shown their support for sovereignty over the region, and associations are being formed to pressure governments to make a decision.
Belgium has not spoken out in favour of a Moroccan solution to the conflict. In response to this, several Belgian personalities from different walks of life, including politicians, academics, directors and members of parliament, have come together and created an organisation called COBESA (Belgian Committee of Support for the Autonomy of the Sahara Region). The association also includes representatives of the Moroccan community in Belgium and some diplomats from the Alaouite kingdom.
The representatives convened the Belgian, European and international press at the Brussels Europe Press Club to make this committee official. For them, the importance of this organisation is to put pressure on the national government to take a decision and impose a peaceful solution that will lead to peace on the territory and at the international level. Furthermore, they confirmed that this initiative follows the process plan presented by the UN, respecting international law and respecting at all times the resolutions passed by the Security Council.
The main objective is to raise awareness at all possible political, economic and social levels. In doing so, they want to gain massive support for Moroccan autonomy over the territory. Moreover, seeing that on the international scene more and more nations are joining the Moroccan cause, they believe it is in Belgium's vital interest to raise the issue of the solution to the debate.
"This is fundamental if we want to finally move towards a peaceful solution to allow the inhabitants of the Sahara to live in peace, guaranteeing them a real autonomy of functioning as proposed by Morocco", commented Hugues Bayet, a federal deputy in the nation and president of COBESA.
The MP furthermore affirms that the conflict has to be solved once and for all and cannot be left without it any longer. He also stressed that it is no coincidence that the United States, France, Germany and Spain have decided to take a stand.
On the other hand, Patrick Saerens, a lawyer and professor of international law in the country and member of COBESA, urged the Belgian authorities to take a stand. He argued that the Belgian opinion is very important for Morocco, as the two countries are linked by historical and political ties.
"Without claiming to find a definitive solution, we will work within COBESA to get the Belgian authorities to join the European dynamic created around the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco", the lawyer added.
More members of this committee have spoken out to ask for a clear solution from their country. All the partners agree that Belgium cannot remain indifferent on the issue and that neutrality must be abandoned.
"What motivates us in this committee is the will to break the deadlock in order to reach a lasting peace solution, based on the Moroccan autonomy proposal", commented Belgian lawyer Yohan Benizri.
Mohamed Ameur, representative of the North African nation in Belgium and Luxembourg, is also a member of COBESA and attended the press conference. He recalled that the Security Council resolutions since the presentation of Morocco's proposal in 2007 have made the plan serious, credible and realistic.
"With the presentation of this initiative for the negotiation of an autonomy statute for the Sahara region, Morocco is engaging in a positive and constructive dynamic to end the current "impasse" and move towards a compromise political solution", the ambassador added.