United States’ Deputy Assistant Secretary for North Africa, Joshua Harris, reiterated, on Thursday, his country’s support for the autonomy plan as a “serious, credible and realistic” solution to the dispute over the Sahara. (MAP) \ NEWSLOOKS.
“The United States continues to view Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as serious, credible and realistic,” the US Embassy in Rabat said in a press release following Mr. Harris’ talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita.
The senior US official, who was acco..mpanied by his country’s ambassador to Morocco, Puneet Talwar, also “reaffirmed the deep and historic partnership between the United States and Morocco”.
Joshua Harris, whose visit to Rabat is part of a regional tour to “Morocco and Algeria”, also underscored US appreciation for Morocco’s crucial efforts on a wide range of regional and global challenges, including addressing instability in the Sahel, supporting Libyan elections, and promoting equal measures of freedom, security, and prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians.
the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, held talks on Friday in Rabat On the other hand with the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for the Moroccan Sahara, Staffan De Mistura.
De Mistura’s trip to the Kingdom is part of a visit to the region with a view to relaunching the round-table political process with the participation of Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania and the “Polisario”, in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions, notably resolution 2654, adopted on October 27, 2022, says a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.
The same source added that these talks took place in the presence of the Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Morocco to the UN, Omar Hilal.
On this occasion, the Moroccan delegation recalled the constants of Morocco’s position, as reaffirmed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, in the Royal Speech delivered on the occasion of the 47th anniversary of the Green March, on November 6, 2022, for a political solution, based exclusively on the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative, within the framework of the Kingdom’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, notes the statement.
Earlier, De Mistura had visited Laayoune and Dakhla, where he held a series of meetings with elected officials, “chioukh”, local notables and economic players. He also met with representatives of civil society, young people and women.
All these interlocutors informed the Personal Envoy about the economic and social boom and the political and democratic dynamic that the two regions of the Moroccan Sahara are experiencing.
The UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for the Moroccan Sahara also visited socio-economic investment and infrastructure projects, and witnessed first-hand the progress made in implementing the New Development Model for the Southern Provinces, launched in 2015 by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, May God Assist Him.
