FOPREL reaffirms support for definitive settlement of Sahara issue in respect of Morocco’s sovereignty, territorial integrity

The Forum of the Presidents of the Parliaments of Central America, Caribbean and Mexico (FOPREL) renewed its commitment to supporting all efforts seeking to reach a peaceful and definitive solution to the Sahara issue, in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions and in respect of the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Morocco.

The Forum reiterated this position in a final communiqué issued at the end of its 43rd meeting, held in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

FOPREL also highlighted the strategic position of Morocco and its historical and solidarity ties with Latin American and Caribbean countries, including the member States of this regional grouping.

The communiqué welcomed the extraordinary high-level meeting held in Rabat last November, during which the north-African Kingdom was granted an “advanced partner” status within FOPREL.

Speaking at the opening of FOPREL’s 43rd meeting, speaker of the House of Councilors, Mohamed Ould Errachid, shared his experience as “a son of the southern provinces that enjoy an all-out development march.”

He also underlined “the pride of all Moroccans, including the populations of these provinces, and the firm and growing international support for the autonomy plan under Morocco’s sovereignty.”

The autonomy plan, he said, is the only solution to the artificial regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.

The communiqué also hailed the Morocco-FOPREL high-level parliamentary economic Forum initiative launched by Ould Errachid. This forum is meant to reinforce strategic relations between the parties, and establish a permanent institutional framework for regional parliamentary dialogue with a view to develop cooperation and strengthen joint action on issues of common interest.

The presidency of this initiative, backed by all participants in the meeting, was entrusted to Ould Errachid and the Speaker of Honduras National Congress, Louis Rolando Redondo Guifarro, who chairs FOPREL.

The two leaders were tasked with coordinating efforts and contacting the speakers of the FOPREL member parliaments in order to organize the Forum and pinpoint topics of common interest.