Rabat – Sylvie Baipo-Temon, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Central African Republic (CAR), has reaffirmed her country’s support for Morocco’s territorial integrity.
Baipo-Temon welcomed the North African kingdom’s continuous efforts to reach a political, realistic, practical, and lasting solution to the Western Sahara dispute within the framework of the UN.
Speaking on Wednesday at a joint press briefing with Morocco’s Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita, Baipo-Temon said that the Central African country “supports Morocco’s autonomy plan as the one and only solution within the framework of its territorial integrity.”
The minister also said that her talks with Bourita, held on the sidelines of the Ministerial Meeting of the Global Coalition against Daesh, was an opportunity to discuss strengthening bilateral ties.
Around 80 countries are attending the high-level Marrakech meeting to review the actions world governments have taken in the past years to tackle global terrorism and other emerging security challenges.
Amid alarming reports of increasing insecurity in the already fragile and politically unstable Sahel region, the Coalition announced the creation of the Africa Focus Group a few months before the ministerial meeting
Morocco and the CAR also highlighted a number of issues of common interests, pledging to contribute to ensuring security and safety in the region.
The Central African minister stressed the importance of international commitment to combat terrorism on the African continent, commending King Mohammed VI’s efforts in promoting the development of the continent while taking the lead on questions relating to the fight against terrorism and extremism.
In terms of bilateral ties, Morocco and the CAR have long been cooperating to fight against terrorist groups to promote stability throughout Africa.
CAR has lauded on several occasions Morocco’s commitment to the UN Security Council’s resolutions on the Sahara question, expressing its unwavering support for a long-lasting UN decision.
In January 2020, the CAR opened a general consulate in Morocco’s southern city of Laayoune, acting its recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the southern provinces.
Morocco’s Autonomy Plan has garnered widespread internal support since the US officially endorsed the plan and recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara in December 2020.
France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain have all endorsed the Moroccan autonomy initiative in recent months, while more than twenty African and Arab countries have cemented their support of Morocco’s territorial integrity by opening diplomatic representations in the cities of Dakhla and Laayoune.
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