Senegal reaffirmed, in New York, its support for Morocco’s full sovereignty over its Sahara, as well as for the autonomy initiative presented by the Kingdom to definitively settle this regional dispute.
“Senegal would like to reaffirm without ambiguity its recognition of the total sovereignty of the Kingdom of Morocco over the Sahara”, said, Monday, the representative of Senegal before the 4th Committee of the United Nations General Assembly.
He underlined that this position is materialized on the ground by a strong presence of Senegalese nationals in the southern provinces of the Kingdom and by the opening in April 2021 of a consulate general in Dakhla.
The Senegalese diplomat also reaffirmed his country’s “unwavering” support for the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative, which the UN Security Council has deemed as serious and credible in its successive resolutions since 2007.
Supported by more than 100 UN member states, this initiative is bolstered by Morocco’s substantial achievements in human rights, including the role played by the commissions of the National Human Rights Council in Dakhla and Laayoune, which was praised by the Security Council in its resolution 2703, the speaker noted.
The autonomy plan is also consolidated through the investments and projects implemented by the Kingdom as part of the new development model for the southern provinces, thus contributing to the empowerment of populations and the improvement of the human development index in the region, he pointed out.
The Senegalese diplomat welcomed Morocco’s full respect for the ceasefire and its ongoing cooperation with MINURSO, calling on the parties to better collaborate with UN entities, particularly the UNHCR and WFP, to ensure optimal management of the rights of the populations in the Tindouf camps, in particular their freedom of expression and association and access to the international humanitarian aid intended for them.
The diplomat also seized the opportunity to welcome the efforts of the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the Moroccan Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, aimed at facilitating the relaunch of the political process under the exclusive auspices of the United Nations.
He called on the main parties in this regional dispute to show greater commitment to achieving a realistic and lasting political solution, in accordance with international law and the relevant resolutions adopted by the the UN Security Council and the General Assembly.
MAP: 15 October 2024
