Rabat: The United Kingdom has officially recognized Morocco’s autonomy proposal, submitted in 2007, as the most credible and pragmatic approach to resolving the long-standing dispute over the Moroccan Sahara. The UK intends to continue its bilateral engagements, including economic, regional, and international actions, in support of this resolution.

According to Ghana News Agency, this stance was articulated in a Joint Communiqu© signed in Rabat by David Lammy, the UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, and Nasser Bourita, Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates. The document highlights the UK’s attention to the positive developments under King Mohammed VI’s leadership regarding this issue.

The communiqu© emphasizes the importance of resolving the Western Sahara dispute for Morocco, noting that a settlement would enhance North African stability and promote regional integration. The UK has expressed interest in potentially supporting projects in the Sahara, aligned with its £5 billion UK Export Finance commitment to foster new business opportunities in Morocco.

The UK acknowledges Morocco as a crucial gateway for Africa’s socio-economic development and is committed to strengthening its partnership with Morocco to promote growth across the continent. Both nations reiterated the importance of the UN-led process, pledging their support for the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Mr. Staffan de Mistura.

The UK, as a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council, expresses its readiness to actively support the Personal Envoy and the involved parties. The communiqu© highlights the urgency of resolving the dispute, considering it overdue and essential for stabilizing North Africa and advancing bilateral and regional cooperation.

This position aligns the UK with other major powers such as the United States, France, and Spain, reinforcing the international momentum spearheaded by King Mohammed VI in support of the Autonomy Plan under Moroccan sovereignty. The UK’s endorsement underscores the initiative’s credibility and the broad consensus favoring a final resolution to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.