Rabat – Gambian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mamadou Tangara reiterated on Monday his country’s support for Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara.
Gambia’s stance on the Moroccaness of the Western Sahara is clear and “without any ambiguity,” Tangara said during a press conference in Morocco’s capital Rabat on the sidelines of his meeting with Morocco’s Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita.
Gambia was among the first countries to open a consulate general in Dakhla, Tangara recalled, adding that his country has always stood by Morocco in defending its territorial integrity and sovereignty over the Western Sahara.
During the press conference, the diplomat saluted Morocco for the “great momentum” of solidarity shown by the Moroccan people during the Al Haouz earthquake.
He praised the North African country’s efforts, led by King Mohammed VI, to aid the affected people and tackle the challenge of reconstruction.
Gambian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mamadou Tangara and his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita.
Gambia is the latest on a long list of countries who are supporting Morocco’s sovereignty over its Western Sahara.
In October, Bourita announced that the number of European Union member states endorsing Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara has risen to 14 after the Czech Republic expressed its support for the Moroccan initiative.
In 2022, Morocco’s efforts to preserve its territorial integrity received a massive boost from Spain, as the European country announced its endorsement of Morocco’s 2007 Autonomy Plan to solve the Western Sahara dispute. Spain described Morocco’s initiative as the “most serious and credible solution” to the dispute.
Prior to Spain’s decision, the US’ decision in late 2020 to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara had also marked a U-turn in the history of the dispute, solidifying Morocco’s sovereignty over its Southern Regions.
On a regional level, approximately 40% of African countries have opened consulates in Laayoune or Dakhla, reflecting rising support for Morocco’s territorial integrity.
More than 27 countries have so far opened diplomatic representations in the southern provinces, with Dakhla hosting 15 of the consulates.
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