Burundi reaffirmed, before the UN Committee of 24, its attachment to Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, while welcoming the autonomy initiative presented by the Kingdom to resolve the regional dispute over the Sahara.
Speaking at the ordinary session of the C24 held in New York (June 10-21), Burundi’s representative welcomed the opening of the consulates general by Arab, African, American and Asian countries, as well as regional organizations, in Laâyoune and Dakhla.
He noted that this dynamic aims to strengthen the economic and social opportunities offered by the Moroccan Sahara, as a hub of development, stability and influence in the Mediterranean, Atlantic and African regions.
In this context, he welcomed the socio-economic development achieved in the region thanks to the investments and projects implemented within the framework of the New Development Model, launched in 2015, and which has greatly contributed to empowerment of local populations and the improvement of human development index in the Moroccan Sahara.
The diplomat also indicated that his country welcomes the participation of the representatives of the Moroccan Sahara, who were democratically re-elected during the 2021 elections, in the C24 regional seminars, including the most recent one held in Caracas last May and in the two round tables in Geneva.
Burundi’s representative welcomed the efforts by the UNSG Personal Envoy to the Moroccan Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, aimed at facilitating the relaunch of the political process under the exclusive auspices of the UN Secretary-General, including his visits to Rabat, Algiers and Nouakchott.
In this regard, he called for the rapid resumption of the round table process, according to the same format and with the same participants, namely Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania and the “polisario”, in accordance with Security Council resolution 2703.
He invited all parties to remain engaged throughout the political process, with a view to achieving a political, realistic, pragmatic, lasting and compromise solution to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara, as requested by the Security Council.
MAP: 19 June 2024
