The Committee of 24 of the United Nations in Bali heard Senegal reaffirms its support for the autonomy plan as the “appropriate framework” to settle the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.
In a speech during the regional conference of the 24th Pacific Committee held in Bali, Indonesia (24th-26th May), the representative of Senegal stressed that the autonomy initiative put forward by Morocco in 2007 is by international law, the Charter of the United Nations and the resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council.
In this context, the diplomat welcomed the efforts made to resume the political process launched by the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for the Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, which was embodied through visits to the concerned parties in January, July, and September 2022, as well as the informal bilateral consultations that took place last March in New York. with these parties.
Mistura also renewed his country’s support for reaching a final, just, lasting, and acceptable political solution to the parties, through a process that takes place under the exclusive supervision of the United Nations, based on successive Security Council resolutions since 2007, calling on all parties to continue, in the same way, the dynamic emanating from the two meetings. round in Geneva, and show realism and a spirit of compromise, to ensure the success of the political process launched by the United Nations.
Mr. Staffan de Mistura praised the “remarkable” progress Morocco has made in its Sahara, particularly in the area of promoting human rights and democracy, as well as the “important” efforts made to benefit the region’s economic and social development while ensuring empowerment for citizens.
The representative of Senegal added that 28 governments from African, Arab, Latin American, and Asian countries had already opened consulates in the Moroccan Sahara, to contribute to the promotion of economic and social opportunities in the region.
He also noted the participation of the representatives of the Moroccan Sahara, elected during the Moroccan elections on September 8th, 2021, in the important meetings and discussions represented in the round tables in Geneva, the sessions of the Committee of 24, and the regional conferences of this UN committee, adding that this is a “positive signal” that reinforces Senegal’s optimism about reaching a solution.
On the other hand, the Senegalese diplomat highlighted his country’s emphasis on the importance of respecting the 1991 ceasefire for the stability of the region, praising in this regard Morocco’s continued cooperation with MINURSO and its respect for the ceasefire.