RABAT (MOROCCO) (ITALPRESS) – Broad international support for the autonomy plan for the Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty emerged during a debate at the United Nations General Assembly. The Assembly met on November 10 to examine the veto cast by Russia on October 30 against a U.S.-sponsored resolution to renew the mandate of MINURSO—a resolution that had been supported by eleven members of the Security Council. The session highlighted a significant diplomatic convergence around the Moroccan proposal, which many countries view as the most realistic and viable solution to end a dispute that has persisted for over fifty years. U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz reiterated Washington’s full support for the Moroccan plan, describing it as the only feasible path toward a lasting peace and dismissing the prospect of a referendum as unrealistic. The European Union, represented by Stavros Lambrinidis, also emphasized that genuine autonomy constitutes a more realistic solution. Speaking for France, Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont reaffirmed that the present and future of Western Sahara lie within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty, identifying the 2007 autonomy plan as the sole basis for a political solution. Strong support was also voiced by countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council and several African states, including Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, and Madagascar. Meanwhile, the Nordic countries expressed regret over the Russian veto, pointing to the risks it poses to regional stability. Russia defended its decision, while Algeria, South Africa, Namibia, and East Timor maintained a distinct minority position in favor of an independence referendum—a stance that contrasts with the growing international support for the Moroccan proposal. Numerous delegations also commended Morocco’s commitment to upholding the ceasefire and cooperating with the United Nations following the expiration of the MINURSO mandate. The debate thus confirmed the consolidation of a broad diplomatic front in favor of the Moroccan autonomy plan, reinforcing its centrality as a framework for a definitive political solution, notwithstanding the Russian veto.
– photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
