DIPLOMACY
Denmark supports Morocco’s autonomy plan
Denmark has joined the increasing number of nations who have stated openly that they support Morocco’s Autonomy Plan.
Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita met with his Danish counterpart, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York where he declared his support for Morocco’s Autonomy plan.
“In support of autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty, the Kingdom of Denmark considers the Autonomy Plan proposed by Morocco in 2007 to be a serious and reliable contribution to the ongoing international process and a solid basis for a mutually agreed-upon solution among all parties,” Morocco’s Foreign Affairs Ministry conveyed Denmark’s position as saying.
The Scandinavian nation’s support of Morocco’s ambition for autonomy is a new diplomatic victory for Rabat in a world where trends are constantly changing and going outside the conventional Euro-Mediterranean area of influence.
Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces is gaining pace internationally because to this support.
In 2007, Morocco presented the autonomy plan to the UN Security Council, proposing that the Sahara be recognised as a semi-autonomous territory under Moroccan authority.
This will provide local communities complete autonomy over the management of their social, economic, and political matters, with the central Moroccan government continuing to have jurisdiction over matters of defence and diplomacy.
The effort has gained support over time from an increasing number of nations across several continents and regions.
This past August, President Emmanuel Macron of France became the latest member of this expanding list, emphasising in a letter to King Mohammed VI that Western Sahara’s present and future ‘come within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty’.
Finland, another country in the Nordic area, has endorsed Morocco’s drive for autonomy, calling it a “good basis” for resolving the Sahara conflict.
The Scandinavian nation reaffirmed its support for the autonomy idea this past August, describing it as the best practical foundation for resolving the conflict in the long run.
Denmark has become the 18th European nation to formally recognise Morocco’s authority over the disputed area by expressing support for the Autonomy Plan.
The number of nations that have done so quickly is increasing, demonstrating the potency of Moroccan diplomacy.
Foreign ministers frequently commend Morocco for its leadership in the area and recognise its revolutionary development programs in the southern regions.
This increased support, however, coincides with Morocco’s more aggressive declaration that it will not accept any settlement that deviates from the Autonomy Plan framework.
In his speech to the 79th UN General Assembly earlier this week, Moroccan President Aziz Akhnnouch reiterated this stance.
He emphasised the necessity for a compromise tempered by the UN and Algeria’s full participation in any political negotiations, saying that the autonomy idea is the only way to resolve the conflict over Western Sahara.
As per Akhannouch, the increasing backing conveys a “unambiguous message to the other parties and the United Nations that the time has arrived to proceed towards a political resolution grounded in this framework, via a sequence of roundtable talks, through UN Security Council resolutions.”
More countries are putting their weight behind Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara as France becomes the latest to do so.
In a statement released Tuesday by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs following a meeting between the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, and Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita, France reaffirmed its “unwavering” position on the issue of the Moroccan Sahara.
The statement reiterates the position expressed by President Emmanuel Macron to King Mohammed VI in his letter dated July 30, 2024, emphasizing that “for France, the present and future of Western Sahara lie within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty,” while recalling the “unwavering nature of France’s position” and its commitment to “act consistently with this position at both the national and international levels.”
Furthermore, the French Minister reiterated France’s “clear and consistent support for the autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty,” describing it as “the only framework within which this issue should be resolved” and stressing that it is “the sole basis” for reaching a political solution, according to the statement.
Noting the “growing international consensus” in support of Morocco’s autonomy initiative, Jean-Noël Barrot stated that France intends to fully contribute to this momentum.
Additionally, France reaffirmed its commitment “to support Morocco’s significant efforts in promoting economic and social development” in the southern provinces of the Kingdom, highlighting the various measures taken in this regard and expressing its willingness to continue this dynamic, according to the same source.
The United States has again reaffirmed Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara. This came up in a communication by US President Donald Trump to the Moroccan monarch, King Mohammed VI.
At a meeting on Tuesday in Washington between Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the latter reiterated that “the United States recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over [the] Sahara.”
Earlier, during a phone conversation in December 2020 between His Majesty King Mohammed VI and the President of the United States, Donald Trump, the U.S. President informed the Sovereign of the issuance of a presidential proclamation, an act with undeniable legal and political weight and immediate effect, announcing the decision of the United States to recognize the full sovereignty of the Kingdom of Morocco over the entire Moroccan Sahara region.
The head of American diplomacy also reiterated that the U.S. “supports Morocco’s serious, credible, and realistic Autonomy Proposal as the only basis for a just and lasting solution to the dispute,” Spokesperson for the United States Department of State, Tammy Bruce, said.
Marco Rubio also reiterated that the U.S. “continues to believe that genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty is the only feasible solution.”
In this respect, he stated that the U.S. President is “urging for the parties to engage in discussions without delay, using Morocco’s Autonomy Proposal as the only framework, to negotiate a mutually acceptable solution.”
The Secretary of State noted that “the United States would facilitate progress toward this aim,” the Spokesperson concluded.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
In about two years from now, the United States will mark the 250th anniversary of the country getting its first international recognition.
On December 1, 2027, it will be 250 years since the Kingdom of Morocco recognised the US, becoming the first country to recognize the United States of America.
To mark the occasion, a resolution has been introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives that officially marks the upcoming date of December 1, 2027 date.
The 250th anniversary is considered “a milestone in one of the longest-standing diplomatic relationships in United States history.”.
According to reports from Maghreb Insider, the bill was proposed by Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10) and Joe Wilson, the Representative from South Carolina and referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The resolution reaffirms a great many long-standing bilateral relations including everything from how “Moroccan-American communities contribute to the cultural diversity of the United States and maintain deep connections to their heritage; to how Morocco remains the only African country with a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States, to the United States and Morocco cooperate closely on regional security, counterterrorism efforts, and military coordination, including participation in joint military exercises such as African Lion.”
The bill sums up by saying that the U.S. supports all efforts to commemorate the 250th anniversary and the lead-up to 2027, highlighting the “historical and strategic importance of the United States-Morocco alliance.”
This resolution is in the first stage of the legislative process. It will typically be considered by the committee next before it is possibly sent on to the House or Senate as a whole.
- WOMEN'S FOOTBALL1 week ago
Naira rain falls on Nigeria’s Flamingos after a 4-0 defeat of Algeria
- OBITUARY5 days ago
NFF mourns the demise of former FIFA referee, Bosede Momoh
- Nigerian Football3 days ago
Financial rainfall awaits Nigeria’s Flamingos for every goal scored in Algeria
- U-17 AFCON1 week ago
Morocco crowned CAF U-17 AFCON champions after dramatic penalty shootout win over Mali
- U-20 FOOTBALL7 days ago
Nigeria begin CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations title chase with Tunisian clash
- Nigerian Football7 days ago
Remo Stars maintain ‘7Up’ lead over Rivers United
- feature5 days ago
Ghana’s Cardinal, Appiah Turkson, listed as a possible Pope
- Nigerian Football3 days ago
Former WAFU President, Ogufere mourns Christian Chukwu