Denmark has publicly expressed its support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for the first time.
“In support of autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty, the Kingdom of Denmark considers the Autonomy Plan proposed by Morocco in 2007 to be a serious and reliable contribution to the ongoing international process and a solid basis for a mutually agreed-upon solution among all parties,” Morocco’s Foreign Affairs Ministry conveyed Denmark’s position as saying.
The endorsement of Morocco’s autonomy plan by the Scandinavian country marks a new diplomatic breakthrough for Rabat in an ever-shifting international landscape, showcasing a growing trend that transcends the traditionally Euro-Mediterranean sphere of influence.
The support further strengthens the international momentum in favor of Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces.
Morocco submitted the autonomy initiative to the UN Security Council in 2007, suggesting the designation of the Sahara region as a semi-autonomous region under Morocco’s sovereignty.
This will allow local populations full ownership to manage their social, economic, and political affairs, while defense and diplomacy would still remain the preserve of the central Moroccan government.
Read also: Samir Bennis’s Book: How, Why the US Embraced Morocco’s Autonomy Plan
Over the years, the initiative has received the backing of a growing list of countries from different regions and continents.
France historically joined this growing list this past August, with President Emmanuel Macron stressing in a letter to King Mohammed VI that the present and future of Western Sahara “fall within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty.”
In the Nordic region, Finland also recently expressed support for Morocco’s autonomy initiative, describing the Moroccan proposal as a “good basis” to end the Sahara dispute.
Also this past August, the Scandinavian country asserted its support of the autonomy initiative, calling it the most viable basis to reach a lasting solution to the dispute.
Denmark’s expression of support for the Autonomy Plan makes it the 18th European country to officially endorse Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed region.
The growing list of countries that have done so in a short period of time reflect the effectiveness of Moroccan diplomacy, with foreign government representatives routinely lauding Morocco’s regional leadership and acknowledging its revolutionizing development initiatives in the southern provinces.
Meanwhile, this growing support comes as an increasingly assertive Morocco has made it clear that it will reject any solution that falls outside of the Autonomy Plan framework.
Earlier this week, Head of Government Aziz Akhnnouch reaffirmed this Moroccan position while addressing the 79th UN General Assembly.
The autonomy initiative is the only solution to end the dispute over Western Sahara, he stressed, noting the need for UN-moderated compromise and the full participation of Algeria in any political negotiations.
According to Akhannouch, the growing support sends a “clear message to the other parties and the United Nations that the time has come to move toward a political solution based on this framework, through a series of roundtable discussions, by resolutions of the UN Security Council.”
