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Join on Telegram Rabat – Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has encountered a fresh diplomatic setback as Sierra Leone emphatically renewed its steadfast support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as a basis to end the dispute over Western Sahara.
The Algerian President had attempted to influence Freetown’s position during a visit of Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio to Algiers on Wednesday.
In a joint press briefing with Maada Bio, Tebboune had said he is satisfied with the alignment of views between the two countries on the Western Sahara dispute.
“Regarding the Western Sahara dossier, Algeria and Sierra Leone will continue to work towards finding a just and lasting solution to this matter, in accordance with the resolutions of the Security Council and international legitimacy,” Tebboune said during the brief.
In response, Julius Bio disassociated his country’s position from Algeria’s stance, saying that Sierra Leone supports the UN-led political process in accordance with the Security Council resolutions adopted since 2007.
Resolutions adopted since 2007 stress the importance of Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as a serious and credible political process and the only way to end the lingering regional dispute.
Sierra Leone reiterates its support for Morocco’s territorial integrity frequently.
The latest supportive remarks came in September last year, when the country’s foreign minister renewed Sierra Leon’s support for Morocco’s territorial integrity during a visit to Rabat.
He emphasized that his country is determined to continue to support Morocco’s position, stressing that the autonomy initiative is the primary framework for ending the dispute.
The statement challenges Algeria’s hostile position, seeking to undermine Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over its southern provinces in Western Sahara.
Algeria hosts, finances, arms, and supports the Polisario Front, a separatist group claiming independence in the Western Sahara region.
Despite its direct involvement in supporting the separatist group, Algeria continues to reject its responsibility in the dispute over Western Sahara.
The rejection comes despite UN Security Council resolutions urging Algeria to engage with other parties to the dispute – Morocco, Mauritania, and Polisario – to contribute to the UN-led political process.
