Finland supports the autonomy plan for the Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty
Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Morocco, was received in Helsinki by his counterpart Elina Valtonen in a visit that strengthens the good relations between both countries
The meeting between Nasser Bourita and Elina Valtonen, during the former's official visit to Finland, has underlined the determination of both countries to strengthen their economic and trade relations, so that they can reach their full potential.
Finland considers the Moroccan autonomy plan a "good basis for a solution" to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara. This position was expressed in the joint declaration issued on Tuesday in Helsinki, after the meeting between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Living Abroad, Nasser Bourita, and the Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen.
Sahara
The statement said: “Finland considers the autonomy plan presented in 2007 to be a serious and credible contribution to the UN-led political process and a good basis for a mutually agreed solution,” reiterating Finland’s support for “the political process aimed at reaching a fair, permanent and mutually acceptable political solution.”
The Finnish minister also stated that her country considers the Moroccan autonomy plan to be “a good basis for a solution” to the regional issue over the Moroccan Sahara.
According to the statement, “Finland considers the autonomy plan presented in 2007 to be a serious and credible contribution to the UN-led political process and a good basis for a mutually acceptable solution.” The country reiterates its support for “the political process that aims to reach a fair, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution.”
The two ministers also They expressed their common position on the exclusive role of the United Nations in the political process, reaffirming their support for the resolutions of the UN Security Council and the support of their respective countries for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General's personal envoy to advance this process.
This new position of Finland joins the dynamic of international support for Morocco's sovereignty over its Sahara and the autonomy plan, under Moroccan sovereignty, which has been supported by numerous countries in recent years under the leadership of King Mohammed VI and the international dynamism that has driven the monarch to action of Moroccan diplomacy that has succeeded in getting many countries around the world to express their support for the autonomy plan for the Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty.
Finland's position is a considerable advance on its previous positions and is the first Nordic country to officially and explicitly support the autonomy proposal presented by Morocco. It represents a position of the State, emanating from all its components, executive and legislative. The decision was taken in consultation with the Finnish President and following consultations at government level and with the Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee.
Finland's support reinforces the momentum that is being registered in the European Union regarding the Moroccan Sahara issue. Finland is the seventeenth member state of the European Union to support autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty and comes only one week after the significant evolution of France's position on the Moroccan Sahara issue.
Bourita's visit to the Scandinavian country coincides with the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Finland and Morocco, and comes a few months after the Speaker of the Finnish Parliament, Jussi Halla-aho, visited Rabat at the end of last May.
During the meeting, held on Tuesday, 6 August in Helsinki, Bourita and Valtonen reviewed a number of issues of mutual interest, including trade relations, security in the Sahel and Morocco's plans for the Sahara region.
Business Forum
The two Foreign Ministers pledged to expand their annual political meetings to include economic and trade issues. To this end, and according to the communiqué following the meeting, a business forum is to be organised, to take place in 2025, which will bring together economic actors from both countries, promoting cooperation between the two countries.
The ministers analysed the economic sectors that can offer comparative advantages for collaboration, such as digitalisation, specifically cybersecurity, as well as the deployment of secure 5G networks, which are a priority and key to national security and a digital economy based on trust.
Water and renewable energy
During the meeting, Bourita and Valtonen recalled the existence of the two memoranda of understanding between Morocco and Finland, which concern the renewable energy sectors and the integrated management of water services, including concrete measures for their implementation.
Both issues are a priority for the Moroccan government and Finland can offer very important assistance, thanks to its extensive experience in smart water-related technologies and solutions. The two ministers therefore encouraged the experts to explore new areas for collaboration.
In the field of renewable energies, the two ministers identified possible solutions to support the green transition, particularly through the exploitation of so-called green hydrogen, on which Morocco and Finland could collaborate.
The importance of new technologies was also raised in areas such as health and welfare, another of Morocco's priorities, which is undergoing a major transformation of the health sector.
Supporting Morocco's role in security
Bourita and Valtonen also discussed Morocco's role in relations between the European Union and Africa, as well as in strengthening regional cooperation and stability in the region, the fight against terrorism and migration management.
Nasser Bourita expressed, on behalf of Morocco, its appreciation for Finland's African strategy and its willingness to contribute to it through tripartite cooperation with African countries.
In this respect, the two countries undertook to deepen their collaboration in forums such as the UN, in particular its Human Rights Council, which Morocco will chair in 2024 and of which Finland is Vice-President.
Sahel
For her part, the Finnish Foreign Minister praised Morocco's efforts to promote peace, stability and socio-economic development in Africa, especially the Royal Initiative of Mohammed VI to facilitate the access of Sahel countries to the Atlantic Ocean.
In the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, Finland underlined Morocco's political stability and welcomed the reforms undertaken under the leadership of the Moroccan monarch, with a view to a more open and dynamic Moroccan society and economy.