Sahara: PM of Antigua and Barbuda; Hungarian FM reaffirm support to Moroccan Autonomy Plan

Several officials and personalities who participated in the 14th edition of the MEDays Forum, organized by Amadeus Institute in Tangier November 2-5 have expressed support to Morocco’s territorial integrity and to the Autonomy Initiative as the sole basis to settle the Sahara issue.

In this connection, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, reaffirmed the “firm” support of his country to the territorial integrity of Morocco and to the autonomy initiative presented by the Kingdom to settle the Sahara issue.

“We, Antigua and Barbuda, continue to strongly support the Moroccan autonomy plan, which is the only plausible solution” to the Sahara issue, stressed Browne in an address at the closing ceremony of the Forum.

Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Péter Szijjártó, reaffirmed on his part, from Tangier, his country’s support to the Morocco-proposed Autonomy Plan and to the UN process to resolve the Sahara issue.

“I would like to reaffirm the joint statement of last year (…) underlining Hungary’s support to the autonomy concept presented by Morocco,” said Szijjártó in a statement to the press on the sidelines of his participation in the MEDays Forum.

“We will use all opportunities within the framework of the UN to promote a peaceful solution to the Sahara issue, to advance as soon as possible peace, stability and tranquility in this region,” he stressed, while welcoming the cooperation between the Kingdom and Hungary as well as his personal cooperation with his Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita.

Referring to his participation in the MEDays Forum, the Hungarian official said he was “particularly honored” to take part in this event, saying that “this is a wonderful opportunity to talk about current circumstances and challenges we face”.

“I come from a country that is a direct neighbor of Ukraine. So, you can imagine that the impacts of the war on Hungary are serious and immediate,” he said.

Szijjártó took the opportunity to plead for the cessation of the conflict in Europe, urging the international community to “refrain from any kind of decision or statement that would trigger the risk of a new escalation of the war”.

In his speech, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, addressed the numerous challenges facing the countries of the South, noting that the many health, food and other crises that are currently shaking the world “require greater cooperation between countries to address inequality, poverty and end conflicts”.

“These crises require greater cooperation and integration of countries to achieve global peace,” he noted.

In this sense, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda called on the countries of the South to “work for a new world order, based on peace and equity in the world”.