Senegal reaffirmed, before the members of the UN Committee of 24 (C24), its support for the autonomy plan which remains the “appropriate framework” to resolve the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.
Speaking at the C24 Regional Seminar for the Pacific, held in Bali from 24 to 26 May, the representative of Senegal stressed that the autonomy initiative, presented by Morocco in 2007, is in line with the international law, the Charter of the United Nations and the resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council which qualify it as serious and credible.
The diplomat welcomed, in this context, the efforts to relaunch the political process undertaken by the Personal Envoy of the UN SG for the Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, resulting in visits to stakeholders in January, July and September 2022, as well as the informal bilateral consultations held last March in New York with these parties.
He also reiterated his country’s support for a final, just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution through a process conducted under the exclusive auspices of the United Nations, on the basis of successive Security Council resolutions since 2007. , urging all parties to continue, in the same format, the constructive momentum generated by the two round tables in Geneva, demonstrating realism and a spirit of compromise, to ensure the successful conclusion of the political process initiated by the United Nations .
He also hailed the “significant” progress made by Morocco in its Sahara, particularly in the promotion of human rights and democracy, as well as the “considerable” efforts made for economic and social development. of the region while ensuring the empowerment of its people.
“These efforts have finished convincing of the Kingdom of Morocco’s desire to definitively resolve this dispute”, he said, noting that in support of this policy, Senegal inaugurated, on April 5, 2021, its Consulate General. in Dakhla.
The representative of Senegal noted that 28 governments of African, Arab, Latin American and Asian countries have already opened consulates in the Moroccan Sahara, with the aim of contributing to the strengthening of economic and social opportunities in the region.
He also welcomed the participation of the representatives of the Moroccan Sahara elected during the Moroccan elections of September 08, 2021 in the important meetings and discussions that are the Geneva round tables, the C24 sessions and the regional seminars of this UN committee, adding that this is a “positive signal” which reinforces Senegal’s optimism as to a successful outcome of this regional conflict.
Furthermore, the Senegalese diplomat indicated that his country insists on the importance of respecting the 1991 ceasefire for the stability of the region, welcoming in this sense Morocco’s continued cooperation with MINURSO as well as its respect for the cease fire.