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Marrakech – In an interview with French media outlet Europe 1-CNews, Samira Sitail, Moroccan Ambassador to France, expressed her satisfaction with France’s recent endorsement of Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara.
The move, which comes as a significant shift in France’s position, considers the Moroccan proposal as the sole basis for resolving the long-standing conflict.
“We can only rejoice at this significant evolution of France’s position, knowing that it does not come out of nowhere,” Sitail stated.
She emphasized that Morocco had presented its Autonomy Plan in 2007, which France has supported since then. “What is new today is that France’s support for Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces is now considered the only basis for settling the dispute,” the ambassador clarified.
Sitail stressed that this development is “in perfect coherence with France’s position alongside Rabat on this conflict since at least 2007.” She recalled, “When Morocco put forward this autonomy proposal, the first country to welcome it at the time was obviously France.”
The ambassador also added that it was Morocco who, as early as 1982, had proposed the option of a referendum to settle this dispute.
“We were unable to implement the referendum option simply because we could not agree on the electoral body. Morocco’s adversaries included people who are not from the southern provinces in this electoral body. Therefore, the electoral body could not be identified,” Sitail explained.
She further noted that even the United Nations, through the personal representative of the UN Secretary-General, Peter van Walsum, had stated in 2008 that the option of an independence referendum was unrealistic.
Read also: Western Sahara Diplomacy Is Already One of King Mohammed VI’s Lasting Legacies
The ambassador also highlighted the timing of France’s announcement of its new stance on Western Sahara, noting that the move coincided with the Throne Day celebrations, a significant event for Moroccans.
She explained that the decision was the result of a lengthy process of discussions that began in October 2023, when she was appointed ambassador to France.
“We checked all the necessary boxes, starting with trust, and put a number of topics on the table to renovate our partnership and make it something exceptional,” Sitail added.
Addressing Algeria’s reaction to France’s recognition, which involved recalling its ambassador from Paris, Sitail drew attention to an apparent inconsistency.
“Why didn’t Algeria sever diplomatic ties or recall its ambassador to the United States when Washington recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces? I will just ask this question,” she said
The ambassador also traced the historical context of the dispute, noting that the Western Sahara territory was an integral part of the Sherifian Empire, with undeniable ties between the region’s tribes and the Sultan of Morocco.
She pointed out that the Polisario Front was created in 1973 by former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi during the Cold War era. When Gaddafi’s support waned, Algeria took over in 1975, backing the Polisario Front to defend its interests against Morocco.
Sitail emphasized that the last 23 United Nations resolutions have considered Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as a credible and serious option for resolving the issue.
France’s recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara marks a significant milestone in the diplomatic efforts to find a lasting solution to this long-standing dispute.
