US Renews Support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan

Rabat  – The US has reiterated its support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as a serious, credible, and realistic basis to end the dispute over Western Sahara.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed his country’s support for the Moroccan initiative during a meeting on Monday with Morocco’s Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita. 

Morocco submitted the autonomy proposal to the UN Security Council in 2007 as part of its efforts to contribute to the UN-led political process with the aim of finding an agreed upon and implementable political solution to end the dispute over Western Sahara.

The plan suggests designating the Western Sahara regions a semi-autonomous region under Morocco’s sovereignty, allowing local populations full ownership to manage their social, economic, and political affairs. Defense and diplomacy would still remain the preserve of the central Moroccan government. 

Over the years, the autonomy initiative has received a nod from a growing list of countries, most notably the US.

“The Secretary noted the United States continues to view Morocco’s autonomy Plan as serious, credible, and realistic, and one potential approach to meet the aspirations of the people of Western Sahara,” a readout from Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedan Patel quoted Blinken as saying during his meeting with Bourita.

US Morocco bilateral meeting

The US also reaffirmed unwavering support for the UN personal envoy Staffan de Mistura in “advancing an enduring and dignified political solution to the Western Sahara conflict.”

Read also: As Europe Backtracks, Morocco Should Cement Relations with Reliable Allies

The US recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara in December 2020. Since then, the US administration has adopted an undivided map of Morocco and pledged determination to continue to support the country’s reforms as well as uphold the terms and spirit of the historically strong cooperation between Rabat and Washigton.

In addition to discussions on Western Sahara, Blinken also emphasized Morocco’s efforts and stabilizing role on different, emerging challenges in the Middle East and Africa.

Blinken further renewed appreciation for King Mohamed VI’s leadership and long-standing contribution to promoting regional peace and stability.

Bilateral meeting between US and Morocco

According to the readout of the meeting, the US also emphasized Morocco’s efforts to promote a “prosperous future” for Israelis and Palestinians.

Regarding other regional challenges, Bourita and Blinken discussed the Russian war in Ukraine, the US-Morocco support for elections in Libya, and the growing security concerns in the Sahel, an increasingly fragile region that many observers have described as the new fertile ground for global terrorism.