PanOrient News | UK backs Morocco’s proposal for settling Western Sahara dispute

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UK backs Morocco’s proposal for settling Western Sahara dispute

Monday, June 2, 2025

(Moroccan Foreign Ministry)

RABAT- (PanOrient News): The United Kingdom says it “considers Morocco’s autonomy proposal submitted in 2007 as the most credible, viable and pragmatic basis for a lasting resolution of the dispute” over the Moroccan Sahara.

This position was expressed in a Joint Communiqué signed in Rabat on Sunday by the United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.

(Moroccan Foreign Ministry)

The document states that London “recognizes the importance of the question of Western Sahara for the Kingdom of Morocco,” noting that settling this regional dispute “would strengthen the stability of North Africa and the relaunch of the bilateral dynamic and regional integration.”

In the Joint Communiqué signed at the Foreign Ministry, it states that the UK “can consider supporting projects” in the Sahara, particularly as part of “the UK Export Finance’s £5 billion commitment to support new business across the country.”

It also underlines the position that the UK “recognizes Morocco as a key gateway to Africa’s socio-economic development and reaffirms its commitment to deepening engagement with Morocco as a partner for growth across the continent.”

The document affirms that “both countries support, and consider vital, the central role of the UN-led process,” reaffirming “their full support for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy, Mr. Staffan de Mistura.” To this end, the UK says that it is “ready, willing and committed to lend its active support and engagement to the Personal Envoy and the parties.”

“As a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council, the United Kingdom agrees with Morocco on the urgent need to find a resolution to this long-held dispute,” the document notes, adding that “the time for a resolution and to move this issue forward is long overdue, and would strengthen the stability of North Africa and the relaunch of the bilateral dynamic and regional integration.”

This new position of the United Kingdom aligns with the strong stances expressed by other major powers, notably the United States, France and Spain.

The position adopted by the United Kingdom reinforces the growing international momentum driven by His Majesty King Mohammed VI in support of the Autonomy Plan under Moroccan sovereignty. It also confirms the credibility of this initiative and the broad consensus backing it to reach a final resolution to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.