Rabat – King Mohammed VI has recalled the international support gained by Morocco in the Sahara dispute during his speech to commemorate the 48th anniversary of the Green March.
“By the grace of the Almighty, many countries have recognized that the Sahara is Moroccan, and many other influential nations have said that the Autonomy Initiative is the only solution for the settlement of this artificial regional dispute,” the King said on Monday.
The monarch said that thanks to the country’s diplomatic efforts, Morocco has managed to strengthen its position and increase international support for its territorial integrity.
He added that the North African country has been able to “face up to the maneuvers of our adversaries – the obvious as well as the concealed ones.”
Over the past years, several countries have voiced their support for Morocco’s Autonomy Initiative as the most credible basis to end the regional dispute over the Sahara.
Most notably, the initiative has received support from the US and Spain, as well as Arab countries such as the UAE and Bahrain. Some countries such as the UAE have also opened diplomatic representations in the country’s southern provinces.
The Autonomy Initiative is also recognized as a credible basis to end the dispute in several UN resolutions, including the most recent Resolution 2703 passed by the Security Council in October.
Morocco welcomed the resolution, with the Foreign Affairs Ministry saying it comes “in a context marked by the continued positive momentum of the dossier, under the leadership of King Mohammed VI.”
During his speech, the King described the Green March as an embodiment of Moroccan values of sacrifice, loyalty and patriotism.
“They enabled our country to liberate its land and achieve full sovereignty over it,” he declared.
