The announcement in favor of Morocco’s territorial integrity comes amid rumors that UAE ambassador to Morocco left due to alleged friction between both countries.
Rabat – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) reiterated its “constant” position in favor of Morocco’s territorial integrity during a meeting of the 24 Committee of the United Nations held in New York.
The representative of the UAE said at the meeting that her country maintains its “constant” position and support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan submitted to the UN in 2007 as a pragmatic and realistic initiative to definitively settle the Western Sahara conflict.
During the meeting, Morocco’s Permanent Ambassador to the UN Omar Hilale defended Morocco’s firm position, maintaining that the North African country would not accept any political solution that would undermine its sovereignty over southern provinces in Western Sahara and national unity.
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The UAE acknowledged Morocco’s efforts to reach a definitive solution which the UN Security Council described as “ serious and credible” in all its resolutions.
The Gulf country also said that it supports the political process under the exclusive auspices of the UN Secretary General to achieve a consensual and mutually accepted political solution to the dispute.
In recent months, reports of alleged friction between Morocco, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have emerged. The alleged tension came from a rumored shift of position by Morocco’s gulf allies regarding the conflict.
Amid escalating rumors of the alleged tension between the two countries, Moroccan newspaper Akhbar Al Yaoum reported in April that the UAE ambassador to Morocco, Ali Salem Al Kaabi, had left the North African country at a “sovereign” Emirati request.
Neither Morocco nor the UAE confirmed the news.
The rumors of the alleged rift between Morocco and UAE increased when Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita excluded the country from his tour to the Gulf in April.
During the visit, Bourita focused on the historical roots of Morocco’s diplomatic ties with the Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia.
Bourita emphasized Morocco’s wish to preserve and strengthen those relationships.
Morocco’s historically positive relationship with Saudi Arabia also faced scrutiny when pro-Saudi government television Al Arabiya aired a documentary which challenged Morocco’s Western Sahara position.
Supposed tensions between Morocco and its Gulf allies may also have increased with Morocco’s unwillingness to side with them on certain regional issues.
Recently, Morocco warned that military intervention in Yemen and Libya is a recipe for humanitarian disaster. The Moroccan government then withdrew from the war in Yemen for citing humanitarian concerns.
During Bourita’s visit to Saudi Arabia in April, however, Saudi Arabia reassured Morocco of its support for the territorial integrity of the North African country and of ongoing historical diplomatic ties between the two countries.
