King Mohammed VI on Friday highlighted the positive momentum in the Moroccan Sahara issue, considered by all Moroccans to be their foremost national cause, and the support for the Autonomy Initiative by many influential countries.
"In this regard, the French Republic now supports the sovereignty of the Kingdom over the entire territory of the Sahara. It also backs the Autonomy Initiative within the framework of Morocco’s territorial integrity as the sole basis for resolving this artificial regional conflict,” the King said in a speech to the Parliament at the opening of the first session of the fourth legislative year of the 11th Legislature.
The Sovereign took this opportunity to offer, personally and on behalf of the Moroccan people, His most sincere thanks and to express his gratitude to France and to President Emmanuel Macron, for this unequivocal support for the Sahara as a Moroccan territory.
The King underlined that this positive development, justice and legitimacy have been upheld, and so have Morocco’s historical rights, especially since this recognition emanates from a major country, which is a permanent member of the Security Council and an influential player on the global stage.
"What is more, France is fully aware of the ins and outs of this regional conflict,” the King noted, adding that this recognition also supports the efforts exerted at the United Nations level to lay the groundwork for a political process that would lead to a final settlement of this issue within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty.
France’s position is part of the positive momentum that characterizes the question of the Moroccan Sahara, which confirms Morocco's sovereignty over its territory and increases international support for the Autonomy Initiative, the Sovereign stressed.
In this context, the King welcomed that the Kingdom has been able to secure the recognition of influential countries which are permanent members of the Security Council, such as the United States of America and France, also taking pride in the stances of Arab and African sister nations, which have been clearly and steadfastly backing the Kingdom’s territorial integrity, especially the countries that have opened consulates in Laayun and Dakhla.
In parallel, the Autonomy Initiative - as the sole basis for reaching a final solution to this conflict within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty - enjoys broad support from an increasing number of countries from around the world, stressed the Sovereign, citing the Kingdom’s friend, Spain - a country which knows the finer details of the issue, and whose stance on the matter has significant political and historical implications - as well as the majority of European Union members.
The Sovereign took this opportunity to express His deep appreciation to “all our friends and partners for supporting Morocco's foremost cause,” and His thanks to the countries that have trade relations with, or invest in, the Kingdom’s southern provinces, which are an integral part of Morocco’s national territory.
In doing so, these countries are contributing to the economic, social and cultural development underway in the Moroccan Sahara, thereby reinforcing the status of the southern provinces as a hub for interaction and exchange between Morocco and the rest of Africa, the King said.
"This puts our southern provinces front and center in the strategic, continental initiatives that I have launched, such as the Morocco-Nigeria Gas Pipeline project, the African Atlantic countries initiative, and the initiative designed to enable African Sahel countries to have access to the Atlantic Ocean,” added the Sovereign.
The King also stressed that the achievements to bring this issue to a final close and the economic and social development witnessed in the southern provinces are the result of the solidarity and the efforts of all Moroccans in order to consolidate national unity and preserve the nation’s territorial integrity.
In this respect, the King commended the efforts made by Morocco’s diplomatic service, by the various institutions concerned, by the nation’s driving forces and by proud Moroccans - inside and outside the country - to defend the legitimate rights of their homeland and face up to the enemies’ manoeuvres.
The Sovereign also expressed His gratitude and appreciation to “our sons and daughters in the Sahara for their unwavering loyalty to their homeland, for their attachment to their sacred religious and national values, and for the sacrifices they make to ensure the Kingdom’s stability and territorial integrity.”
