Home / News / Africa / King Mohammed VI hails, France, US, Spain, others for support on Moroccan Sahara 
King Mohammed VI of Morocco

King Mohammed VI hails, France, US, Spain, others for support on Moroccan Sahara 

King Mohammed VI of Morocco

King Mohammed VI of Morocco has expressed gratitude to France and its President, Emmanuel Macron, for the present “unequivocal support for the Sahara as a Moroccan territory,” noting that “through this positive development, justice and legitimacy have been upheld, and so have Morocco’s historical rights.”

King Mohammed VI, who confirmed that the French Republic now “also backs the Autonomy Initiative within the framework of Morocco’s territorial integrity” as the sole basis for resolving the ongoing regional conflict, pointed out that France’s support is especially important as it “emanates from a major country, which is a permanent member of the Security Council and an influential player on the global stage.”
The Moroccan King said these in a speech he delivered to the country’s Parliament at the opening of the first session of the fourth legislative year of the 11th Legislature, stressing that apart from the significant stature of France, the country is also “fully aware of the ins and outs” of the regional conflict.
The King, who went to address the Parliament in the company of  HRH Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan and HRH Prince Moulay Rachid, noted that France’s “recognition also supports the efforts exerted at the United Nations level to lay the groundwork for a political process that would lead to a final settlement of this issue within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty.”

He also told the Parliamentarians that apart from France, Morocco has secured the recognition of the United States of America (USA), another influential member of the UN Security Council for its Moroccan Sahara cause, as well as the positive disposition of “Arab and African sister nations, which have been clearly and steadfastly backing the Kingdom’s territorial integrity, especially the countries that have opened consulates in Laayun and Dakhla.”

King Mohammed VI also pointed out that “the Autonomy Initiative – as the sole basis for reaching a final solution to this conflict within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty – enjoys broad support from an increasing number of countries from around the world,” including “Spain – a country which knows the finer details of the issue, and whose stance on the matter has significant political and historical implications – as well as the majority of European Union members.”

He expressed “deep appreciation” to all friends and partners “for supporting Morocco’s foremost cause” and thanked countries that have trade relations with, or invest in, the Kingdom’s southern provinces, noting that, in doing so, “they are contributing to the economic, social and cultural development underway in the Moroccan Sahara, thereby reinforcing the status of the southern provinces as a hub for interaction and exchange between Morocco and the rest of Africa.”

According to him, “this puts our southern provinces front and centre in the strategic, continental initiatives that I have launched, such as the Morocco-Nigeria Gas Pipeline project, the African Atlantic countries initiative, and the initiative designed to enable African Sahel countries to have access to the Atlantic Ocean.”

He, however, noted that despite all that have been achieved, there is need for further mobilization and vigilance on the part of everyone, with the goal being to continue to consolidate Morocco’s position, “to publicise our just cause, and to thwart our enemies’ manoeuvers.” He also stressed the need “to explain the fundamental elements underpinning the Moroccan position to the few countries whose stances on the issue still go against the logic of law and history.”

The King also emphasised the need for concerted efforts to convince those still opposed to the Autonomy Initiative as the only solution to the regional conflict, “through legal, political and historical evidence as well as spiritual arguments that confirm the legitimacy of the Sahara as a Moroccan territory.”

Coat of arms of Morocco

Full text of Speech:

HM the King Delivers Speech to Parliament at Opening of First Session of 4th Legislative Year of 11the Legislature
HM King Mohammed VI, accompanied by HRH Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan and HRH Prince Moulay Rachid, on Friday, October 11, 2024, delivered a speech to the Parliament at the opening of the first session of the fourth legislative year of the 11th Legislature.

About Global Patriot Staff

Check Also

Polytechnic programmes, best fit for upgrade of economy – Ex UNILAG VC

The immediate past Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, has emphasized …

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *