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Rabat — Morocco’s Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita said that Resolution 2797 on Western Sahara represents a vote in favor of “Morocco under King Mohammed VI” as well as the reforms and progress made in different areas.
Bourita made his remarks in an interview with Moroccan television 2M on Sunday, celebrating the UN Security Council vote on Resolution 2797, which recognizes Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as a genuine political solution to end the dispute over Western Sahara.
Bourita said the vote is in favor of Morocco’s efforts and reforms undertaken in various areas, including women’s rights and sustainable development.
“The 11 countries that voted in favor of Morocco were not easy to secure. At first, we were at six votes, and then King Mohammed VI intervened, spoke, and acted to reach the required nine votes without a veto… We are talking about the last six or five weeks before the vote, representing the final stretch, like the 100-meter finishing line,” Bourita said.
He also emphasized King Mohammed VI’s personal commitment to the Sahara dossier, noting that “since his accession to the throne, the monarch worked to move away from the difficult-to-implement settlement and referendum plan.”
For Bourita, King Mohammed VI’s far-sighted vision and approach are based on progressive objectives that rest on credibility and action to establish trust with partners.
This approach has allowed Morocco to collaborate with major European powers, which play an influential role in the Sahara issue.
He also recalled the visits carried out by King Mohammed VI to several African countries that formerly recognized Polisario’s self-proclaimed SADR.
He said the visits contributed to changing their position, recognizing Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara. He also attributed the momentum to Morocco’s return to the African Union in 2017.
Bourita stated that the same approach was adopted with European countries, 23 of which now support the Moroccan proposal.
The Moroccan diplomat also recalled the EU-Morocco agricultural agreement that the two parties signed on October 4, allowing products from the southern provinces to access the European market.
Among major landmark events are also France’s participation on October 9 in the Morocco-France Economic Forum in Dakhla and the signing of the Morocco-Russia maritime fishing deal that includes southern provinces on October 17.
Rather than merely a proposal as before, Bourita said the autonomy plan has become a solution, describing the resolution adopted as historic, as no country voted against it.
On Friday, King Mohammed VI delivered a special speech, celebrating the UN’s resolution endorsement of Morocco’s autonomy initiative.
In the speech, the King appreciated partner countries whose actions contributed to Morocco’s momentum within the UN Security Council and international forums.
He especially thanked the US for paving the way for a final settlement within the autonomy plan, as well as the UK, Spain, and France for their contributions aimed at ensuring the success of a peaceful process.
In his speech, King Mohammed VI re-extended a direct invitation to Algeria to engage in a sincere and fraternal dialogue to end decades of tensions between Algiers and Rabat.
Algeria notably did not participate in the UN resolution vote, while 11 UN Security Council Member States voted in favor of Resolution 2797. Three abstained, including Russia, China, and Pakistan.
Algeria hosts, finances, arms, and supports Polisario’s independence claims, backing the outdated self-determination and referendum proposals for Western Sahara.
