Gabon has reiterated, in New York, its support for the Moroccan autonomy initiative in the Sahara which presents “credible and reassuring prospects”.
“My delegation welcomes and encourages the Moroccan autonomy initiative because it presents credible and reassuring prospects not only for ending the current impasse, but also for reaching a negotiated and mutually acceptable political solution,” the Gabonese representative underlined before the members of the 4th Committee of the UN General Assembly.
In this context, he underlined the “strong support” of the international autonomy initiative, including that of the Security Council, whose various resolutions have always affirmed the credibility of the solution proposed by Morocco.
Reiterating its support for the political process underway under the auspices of the UN Secretary General, Gabon welcomed the efforts of the UN Secretary General’s Personal Envoy for the Moroccan Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, whose mission is to relaunch this process among the various stakeholders, especially after his visits to the region last January and July.
“This diplomatic revival is an encouraging sign of the resumption of the roundtable process around the four main parties, in accordance with Security Council resolution 2602,” said the Gabonese diplomat, urging all participants to commit themselves in a spirit of compromise to achieve a sound political solution, as recommended by the 18 Security Council resolutions adopted since 2007.
He also noted that his country notes with “great satisfaction” several other positive developments on this issue, such as the participation of the elected representatives of the Moroccan Sahara in the regional seminars of the Committee of 24.
Highlighting Morocco’s efforts to improve the living conditions of the populations of the Moroccan Sahara, the Gabonese representative noted that the development model of the southern provinces launched by HM King Mohammed VI in 2015 has significantly improved human development indices in the region.
“These socio-economic developments reinforce international cooperation in the region,” he said, recalling that 28 African, Arab, American and Asian countries, as well as international organizations, have opened consulates general in the cities of Laayoune and Dakhla, while others are about to do the same.
The diplomat also welcomed Morocco’s commitment to the ceasefire, and called on the other parties to do the same in the interest of stability and security of the entire region.
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