UN Chief’s Sahara Report Highlights Morocco’s Commitment to Political Solution

UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, underscored in his annual report on the Sahara Morocco’s commitment to finding a political solution within its sovereignty and territorial integrity

“Morocco has been confidently and responsibly engaged in the dynamic action launched by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, in cooperation with his Personal Envoy,” said the report quoting a speech by King Mohammed VI.

The report outlined that Morocco’s commitment is based on the same frame of reference that the King has outlined last year in an address on the occasion of the anniversary of the Green March.

The Secretary-General indicated in this regard that the Monarch emphasized that “Morocco remains committed to engaging in the political process, and the current dynamic wished for by the Secretary General, and to cooperating with his Personal Envoy”.

This commitment, as stated by the King in his royal speech, and as reflected in the report of the Secretary-General, is based on the Kingdom’s fundamental principles concerning the Sahara issue. Among these principles a clear “No” to any solution to the Sahara question other than within the framework of Morocco’s full sovereignty over its Sahara and the Autonomy Initiative, which has been declared serious and credible by the international community.

Other principles include the need for all parties to assume their responsibilities with a view to finding a definitive solution to this regional dispute, considering the Security Council as the only international body tasked with overseeing the settlement process, and the rejection of any obsolete proposal designed to divert the settlement process from the set terms of reference.

“I am pleased to note there is increasing compatibility between these principles and the stances adopted by the international community,” the King said in a speech on the 65th anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People celebrated on August 20, 2018.

The UN Secretary General also highlighted in his report the Kingdom’s commitments to pursue the socio-economic development of its Southern Provinces, as emphasized in the Green March Royal Speech, namely that “Morocco will not sit by and wait for the desired solution to be found”. Instead, Morocco will press ahead with its endeavors to promote the development of its southern regions and turn the Sahara into an integrated economic hub that will enable the region to play its role as a link between Morocco and countries further down in Africa.

The UN Secretary General’s report also sheds light on the results of the visit of the UN Envoy Horst Kohler to the region in October 2017 highlighting the preeminence of Morocco’s autonomy initiative and calling for Algeria to play its role in settling the Sahara issue.

The UN report also reiterated the call made in Resolution 2414 for the parties to show realism and a spirit of compromise in order to reach a feasible and lasting political solution.