Central Africa Leads Way as 40 Countries Back Morocco’s Sahara Sovereignty

Marrakech – Forty countries have collectively delivered a powerful diplomatic statement at the United Nations, firmly reaffirming their unwavering support for Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara provinces.

The Central African Republic, speaking on behalf of this substantial coalition, read out the joint statement during the general debate of the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva.

“We reaffirm our constant and unwavering support to the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Morocco over its southern provinces,” the Central African diplomat declared. The coalition also expressed backing for Morocco’s autonomy initiative, which the Security Council has deemed “serious and credible.”

The representative stressed the necessity to preserve “the strictly bilateral nature of interactions between member states, the Human Rights Council, and the High Commissioner.”

He insisted these exchanges “must remain true to their primary mission” and guard against attempts at exploitation that could transform the forum into a platform for unproductive political debates.

“The opening of numerous consulates general in the cities of Dakhla and Laayoune is tangible proof of growing international support,” the diplomat stated. This momentum “constitutes an essential lever for strengthening regional cooperation, promoting investment, and accelerating development at both regional and continental levels.”

The coalition’s statement reminded the HRC that “the Sahara issue falls exclusively within the Security Council’s jurisdiction.” The Central African representative described Morocco’s autonomy initiative as “a realistic and pragmatic basis for achieving a lasting and consensus-based political solution.”

Recognizing Morocco’s ‘sincere and continuous efforts’ towards peace and stability

“Morocco has engaged for many years in a constructive, voluntary and deep interaction with the United Nations human rights system, particularly the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), to promote and respect human rights throughout its territory,” the group affirmed.

The statement noted that UN Security Council resolutions on the Sahara “welcome the role played by Morocco’s National and Regional Human Rights Commissions in Dakhla and Laayoune, as well as the kingdom’s interaction with special procedures mechanisms of the Human Rights Council.”

It renewed support for “efforts to revive the UN political process within the framework of the Geneva roundtable discussions and in accordance with relevant resolutions, particularly Resolution 2756 adopted in October 2024.”

For members of this substantial international coalition, “the resolution of this regional dispute will help realize the legitimate aspirations of African and Arab peoples for integration and development, an objective that Morocco continues to pursue and for which it deploys sincere and continuous efforts.”

The Central African representative concluded by inviting delegations to consult the full text of the declaration, reaffirming the 40-nation group’s determination to work toward a peaceful settlement of the dispute based on consensus and the Moroccan initiative.