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The decision of the United States of America to recognize the full and entire sovereignty of Morocco over its Sahara, in addition to its unequivocal support for the Moroccan initiative for autonomy, surprised some and comforted many others.
The weight of this decision rests first of all on its author: a world power, permanent member of the UN Security Council, Morocco’s strategic ally, with a constant friendship, anchored in history and turned towards the future, consolidated across the various American administrations with His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
The American decision must be measured, above all, by the opportunity it offers to find a lasting solution to the dispute over the Sahara, which has lasted too long, a sine qua non condition of peace and security in the southern Mediterranean and Sahel regions.
In this dispute, two visions are opposed: on the one hand, the vision of Morocco, carried by His Majesty the King who continues to invest massively in a better future for all, with more than 7 billion dollars over the past 10 years only in the Saharan provinces. , with the conviction that populations should never be held hostage to a stagnant political process. And, on the other hand, the other parties, who support the status quo, prevent regional economic integration, threaten regional security and ignore the humanitarian consequences flowing from their choices.
It is in the light of these elements that the decision of the American administration inaugurates a new dynamic in favor of a realistic and lasting political solution, within the framework of Autonomy, which provides for an extended autonomy and allows the inhabitants to the region to democratically manage their economic and political affairs under Moroccan sovereignty.
The United States is well aware of the genesis and evolution of the Sahara issue, its dynamics and its challenges. In fact, the idea of an Advanced Self-Reliance Plan as the ultimate face-saving solution arose out of extensive consultations between our government, under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, and the Clinton administration. Since then, each American administration has always affirmed its support for this political solution.
The Trump administration’s presidential proclamation has only explicitly declared U.S. support for the past 20 years.
Beyond public and solidarity political declarations, the United States has made its financial assistance to Morocco and, since 2015, available to the provinces of southern Morocco. Likewise, the trade agreements signed between Morocco and the European Union cover the Moroccan Sahara.
The American Proclamation is also part of the evolution of the question at the United Nations. First by the statements of many former UN envoys who affirmed that “the independence of the Sahara” was not a realistic option. Second, the last 17 Security Council resolutions have enshrined a clear doctrine, calling for a “realistic, pragmatic and lasting political solution”, while qualifying Morocco’s efforts as “serious and credible”.
As His Majesty the King reaffirmed to the UN Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, on November 16e 2020, Morocco remains engaged in the political process conducted under the exclusive aegis of the United Nations, on the basis of clear parameters involving the real actors.
It is essential to stress that the political process is not an end in itself. It is a path. Those who believe to upset Morocco by opposing its autonomy initiative are only serving a dead end and are in reality opposing the sole promise of a solution without winner or loser, and which creates a dynamic within the International community.
This support was recently reiterated at a ministerial conference initiated by Morocco and the United States with the participation of 42 countries which reaffirmed their support for autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty. From our point of view, the announcement of the United States to join 20 UN member states which have already taken the sovereign decision to open consular representations in the Saharan provinces – will not only mean operationalizing their recognition of the “ moroccanity ” of the Sahara region, but will also encourage economic integration and prosperity in the region.
By signing last December, with the United States and Israel, the trilateral declaration which includes the American presidential proclamation on the Sahara, Morocco sealed a commitment in favor of a virtuous package, in the service of peace in the Maghreb and in the Middle East. Today, we must seize this opportunity for constructive actions towards the only realistic, just and lasting horizon.
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