A lasting solution to the Western Sahara issue appears in sight after the UN Security Council extended for another one year, the mandate of United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, commonly called MINURSO.
This is contained in the adoption of Resolution 2703. The resolution was adopted by 13 votes in favour and two abstentions.
In the new resolution, the executive body of the UN reaffirmed its support for the Moroccan autonomy initiative, presented by Morocco in 2007, as a serious and credible basis with a view to putting an end to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara, as enshrined in Security Council resolutions.
The members of the Council also reiterated their support for the efforts of the UN Secretary General and his Personal Envoy for the Moroccan Sahara aimed at advancing the political process with a view to achieving a realistic, pragmatic and lasting solution, based on compromise.
According to a statement from the Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Kingdom of Morocco, the new resolution comes “in a context marked by the continued positive momentum of the dossier of King Mohammed VI.”
In the statement, the ministry lists the growing successes that Morocco has reached in the Western Sahara dossier.
Nearly a hundred countries have endorsed the Morocco-proposed Autonomy Plan, and more than 30 General Consulates have been inaugurated in Laayoune and Dakhla.
In addition, over 84% of UN member states do not recognize the separatist militia Polisario Front.
Morocco has equally made significant strides in developing its southern regions under its New Model for Development.
The resolution has clearly identified the parties to the political process, which shall assume their political, legal and moral responsibility in seeking a final solution to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara. It cites Algeria in particular six times, as many times as Morocco, confirming that Algeria is indeed the main party to this artificial dispute.
Likewise, the new resolution establishes round tables as the sole framework of the political process, with in particular the participation of Algeria, a directly involved stakeholder.
Finally, the Security Council confirmed that the final political solution can only be a “realistic, pragmatic, sustainable political solution based on compromise”, noting that these parameters are once again coupled with the support of the Security Council for the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative, described as “serious and credible”.
It is important to note, in this context, that several countries around the world clearly express their support for this Initiative as an essential basis for any solution to this regional dispute.
Furthermore, the new resolution sent a call to order to the “polisario” concerning its violations and restrictions on the freedom of movement of MINURSO, adding that it again asked Algeria to allow the registration of the populations of Tindouf camps.
Building on its achievements and the consistency of the Security Council’s approach, the Kingdom of Morocco, as reaffirmed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, remains fully committed to supporting the efforts of the UN Secretary General and his Personal Envoy aimed at relaunching the round-table process, with a view to reaching a political solution, based on the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative and in strict respect of the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of the Kingdom
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