Cabo Verde reaffirms support for Morocco’s territorial integrity, autonomy Plan as “only solution” to Sahara issue

The government of Cabo Verde has reiterated its support to Morocco’s territorial integrity and reaffirmed its backing to the autonomy plan initiative presented by Morocco as “the only credible and realistic solution to the dispute” over the Sahara.

In a document sent Tuesday, May 23, 2023 to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Cabo Verdean Foreign Ministry also reiterates its support for the efforts of the United Nations as the exclusive framework for achieving a “realistic, practical, and lasting” solution to the dispute over the Sahara.

“Furthermore, the Government of Cabo Verde also reiterates the support of the Republic of Cabo Verde to the search for a lasting solution that preserves the Kingdom’s territorial integrity, under the exclusive auspices of the United Nations and in compliance with Decision 693 of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union of July 2018,” the document explained.

Cabo Verdean diplomacy recalls that these positions were “clearly expressed by the Prime Minister and Head of Government of Cabo Verde, José Ulisses Correia e Silva, during his meeting with the Head of Government of the Kingdom of Morocco, Aziz Akhannouch, as part of his recent and very successful official visit to the Kingdom of Morocco.”

The document also emphasizes that “the definition and execution of the internal and external policy is a political competence of the Government”, in accordance with Article 185 and paragraph (a) of number 1 of Article 203 of the Constitution of the Republic of Cabo Verde.

It is to be recalled that Cabo Verde had opened a consulate general in the Moroccan Saharan city of Dakhla in August 2022, in a clear recognition of Morocco’s Sovereignty over its Sahara provinces.