UN reiterates support for Morocco's plan for Western Sahara

Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara has again received international support during the Fourth Committee of the UN General Assembly from some twenty countries, including El Salvador and Côte d'Ivoire.

Tiemoko Moriko, ambassador, permanent representative of Côte d'Ivoire to the UN, expressed his satisfaction with the international support for the Moroccan autonomy plan, describing it as a "compromise solution which is in line with international law, the UN Charter and the resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly".

In addition to pointing out the effectiveness of the Moroccan initiative to resolve the Sahara conflict, the Ivorian diplomat recalled the high turnout of Saharawis in several elections held in Morocco, including the general elections in September 2021.

Moriko indicated that his country supports the roundtable process in the same format, in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2654 adopted last year on 27 October and with all parties to the Sahara dispute: Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania and the Polisario Front. "All parties must breathe new life into the political process and all countries of interest must refrain from non-political measures," he said.

This roundtable process was driven by former envoy Horst Koehler, who resigned in 2019 due to health problems. The current UN envoy for the Sahara, Staffan De Mistura, has pledged to revive the same roundtables to engage all parties to the dispute in dialogue. This is part of the UN's efforts to reach a mutually acceptable and agreed political solution to end the Western Sahara conflict.  

El Salvador also praised Morocco's autonomy initiative during the fourth meeting of the UN committee. Egriselda Aracely González López, its ambassador to the organisation, defined the Kingdom's autonomy plan as a "viable" solution to the Sahara dispute.

She praised the UN envoy's efforts to facilitate the political process, highlighting her recent tour of the region in preparation for the upcoming Security Council meeting on the Sahara. At that meeting, to be held in late October, the UN body will vote on a renewed mandate for MINURSO.

Another country that has again expressed support for the Moroccan proposal is Qatar. Jassim Abdulaziz Al Thani Jassim Al Thani, Qatar's representative to the UN, conveyed Doha's pro-Moroccan position and reiterated its support for the UN-led political process aimed at achieving a lasting and mutually acceptable political solution to the dispute.  

Al Thani also stressed the need to resolve the conflict peacefully through dialogue and negotiations. He also expressed his support for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General to reach a solution, as well as those of Staffan de Mistura.

The Qatari diplomat recalled Resolution 2654, adopted by the UN Security Council last year, stressing that this resolution "guarantees Morocco's sovereignty over the territory".

Qatar and Morocco share good diplomatic relations based on cooperation in various sectors, including trade, security and political dialogue.