Rabat – Sir Liam Fox, President of the Abraham Accord Group in the UK, has commended Morocco’s development programs designed to revamp the country’s southern provinces.
Fox published a column in The Economist on Thursday, emphasizing the momentum Morocco has garnered over the past two decades on the Western Sahara dispute.
He recalled the growing consensus on the Autonomy Plan as the only credible solution to end the dispute, pointing out the UK’s newfound position in support of the Moroccan proposal.
The UK joined the growing chorus in endorsement of Morocco’s autonomy initiative in June, calling the plan the most credible and pragmatic way forward.
This position aligns Britain with its allies in “America, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and many others who also endorse the autonomy plan,” Fox wrote in his article.
Stressing the importance of the autonomy initiative, he emphasized that it offers local populations “the means to govern themselves democratically while benefiting from the opportunities of a united Morocco.”
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Fox also recalled Morocco’s mega projects aiming to enhance several sectors in the southern provinces.
He described Morocco’s investment strategy as “coherent,” covering roads, ports, renewable energy projects, as well as schools and hospitals.
Morocco’s southern provinces are booming as they are opening up to the world, he argued.
Long before the UK decision to officially endorse the Moroccan plan, Fox had been a vocal supporter of the autonomy initiative. And he had on many occasions called on the UK to follow in the steps of the US, France, and Spain in supporting Morocco’s position on the Sahara dispute.
Following his country’s decision to embrace the Moroccan proposal for the Sahara, Fox commended the new stance, arguing that this strong and deepening relationship between Rabat and London comes at a critical moment, citing instability in the region.
“The UK has an opportunity to make the most of the new trade and economic opportunities underpinned by the security outlined in the Autonomy Plan,” he stressed.
