Italy welcomes Morocco's proposal for Western Sahara
Italy and Morocco signed in Rome the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Multidimensional Strategic Partnership between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Italian Republic and, on this occasion, the Italian country has positively highlighted the initiative of the Moroccan kingdom for Western Sahara, highlighting the "serious and credible efforts" of the North African nation.
Antonio Tajani and Nasser Bourita, the Italian and Moroccan foreign ministers respectively, were responsible for signing the bilateral action plan in Rome, which states that 'Italy welcomes the serious and credible efforts made by Morocco' with regard to the Saharawi question.
In this way, Italy recognises and welcomes Morocco's 'serious and credible' efforts to resolve the Western Sahara dispute, according to this mutual strategic partnership plan. Signed by the foreign ministers of the two countries, Nasser Bourita and Antonio Tajani, the plan states that "Italy welcomes the serious and credible efforts made by Morocco", as confirmed by the United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolution 2654 of 27 October 2022.
Italy showed this support for Morocco, thus also respecting UN resolutions and the work carried out by the UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura, all aimed at supporting "the political process aimed at reaching a just, realistic, pragmatic, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution to the Sahara issue, based on the compromise in accordance with resolution 2654".
Italy, in this same Action Plan, "encourages all parties to pursue their engagement in a spirit of realism and compromise, in the context of agreements in accordance with the purposes and principles set out in the UN Charter", as reported by the official Moroccan news agency MAP.
This Plan serves to continue the Joint Declaration signed in Rabat on 1 November 2019 and constitutes a concrete implementation of the Multidimensional Strategic Partnership between Morocco and Italy, a partnership geared towards permanent dialogue and practical and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.
Italy also praised the "far-reaching reforms" that Morocco had undertaken over the past two decades under the leadership of King Mohammed VI. Indeed, since the monarch's accession to the throne in 1999, a plan was put in place to fully modernise the nation in all areas, from political, social, educational, industrial and economic. The Moroccan kingdom has experienced great growth and development in the last 25 years thanks to the impetus given by the Moroccan king as head of state. This is something that Antonio Tajani himself praised. In the joint declaration issued after the signing of the Action Plan, Italy welcomed "the far-reaching reforms undertaken by Morocco in the last two decades under the impetus of King Mohammed VI, and the efforts made towards political, economic and social development". Rome also praised the sovereign's efforts to promote development, stability and growth on the African continent.
This boost given by Italy to Moroccan efforts to resolve the Western Sahara issue signifies further positive support for the Moroccan kingdom. The North African country proposes a formula of broad autonomy for the Sahrawi territory under Moroccan sovereignty, respecting UN resolutions, with the intention of developing the region to the maximum in various aspects such as administrative, economic, social and educational, and has the backing of several important nations such as the United States, Germany, the United Arab Emirates and Spain, which identify the Moroccan proposal as the "most serious, credible and realistic" way to solve the Sahara problem. The Polisario Front, on the other hand, advocates holding a referendum on independence for the Sahrawi population, which has less international support and is mainly supported by Algeria, Morocco's great political rival in the Maghreb.
It should also be noted that the great rapprochement between Italy and Morocco is a major setback for Algeria, as the transalpine nation has always been an important ally for Algeria, especially in the issue of trade in natural gas from the Maghreb country. The Moroccan kingdom thus achieves an important rapprochement with a nation as important as the Republic of Italy.
The Action Plan signed by Morocco and Italy mainly covers political and diplomatic dialogue, cooperation in security and justice, as well as economic, energy and sustainable development cooperation. It also includes cultural and academic cooperation, according to media outlets such as Morocco World News.