UK Position Will Strengthen Momentum Around Moroccan Sahara Issue Under HM the King's Leadership
The position expressed by the United Kingdom regarding the Moroccan Sahara will help reinforce the momentum this issue has gained under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, stated Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, on Sunday in Rabat.
This position represents "a significant development," given that the United Kingdom is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and a member of the Group of Friends of the UN Secretary-General on the Sahara, noted Bourita during a press briefing with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, David Lammy.
In this regard, the minister noted that "four countries within the Group of Friends of the UN Secretary-General on the Sahara have now joined this dynamic and expressed support for the Autonomy Initiative—namely France, the United States, Spain, and now the United Kingdom."
Bourita also emphasized that the United Kingdom has always been an influential and credible voice at the European, UN, and international levels. He added that this position will also have positive economic implications, as UK Export Finance may consider supporting investment projects in the southern provinces of the Kingdom.
He stressed that Morocco does not view the growing support for its position on the Sahara as a privilege or a means of maintaining the status quo, but rather as a factor that can help bring about a resolution to a conflict that has lasted more than 50 years.
Bourita noted that the United Nations and the international community now have a real opportunity to reach a definitive solution to this dispute, based on the Autonomy Initiative proposed by Morocco within the framework of its sovereignty. He expressed hope that all parties will engage seriously in finding a lasting resolution to the issue.
Furthermore, Bourita described Lammy's visit to the Kingdom as "historic" in many respects.
He explained that this is the first visit by a UK Foreign Secretary to Morocco since 2011, and it will allow for a qualitative leap in bilateral relations. It also provided an opportunity to hold the 5th session of the Strategic Dialogue between the two countries and to discuss various bilateral and regional issues.
"This visit is also significant and historic in that it enabled the United Kingdom to express its position on the Moroccan Sahara," the minister added, noting that the joint communiqué signed on this occasion affirms that the United Kingdom "considers the Autonomy Proposal presented [by Morocco] in 2007 as the most credible, serious, and pragmatic basis for a lasting resolution to the regional dispute" over the Moroccan Sahara, and "will continue to act at the bilateral level, particularly in economic matters, as well as regionally and internationally, in line with this position."
Bourita also stated that this visit marks a turning point in relations between the two countries. He emphasized that, in line with the High Royal Directives aimed at diversifying and strengthening partnerships, Morocco has engaged in a dialogue to further develop "our bilateral relations based on the centuries-old ties between the two countries and the special relationship uniting the two Royal Families."
As a result, the minister stressed that the two countries are working to inject new momentum into their bilateral relations and to elevate the Morocco-UK partnership to cover all sectors, including the economy, security, culture, defense, investment, education, and scientific research.
In addition, Bourita recalled that four agreements were signed on this occasion, with more expected to be concluded in the coming two days, giving new impetus to Morocco–UK relations and ushering in a new era of bilateral cooperation.
(MAP: 02 June 2025)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Morocco World
2 hours ago
- Morocco World
Gambia Reaffirms Support for Morocco's Territorial Integrity
Rabat – Morocco's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita met in Rabat on Tuesday with his Gambian counterpart Mamadou Tangara, with the pair pledging to strengthen bilateral relations. The meeting took place at the Moroccan ministry of foreign affairs. Tangara presented a letter to Bourita as a message from President Adama Barrow to King Mohammed VI. The two parties discussed issues of mutual importance in consultation, particularly on the framework of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), of which Gambia currently holds a rotating presidency. King Mohammed VI is the current chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, a standing committee within OIC focused on cultural, political, social, religious and human rights in Jerusalem. Mamadou Tangara also stressed his country's 'unambiguous' support for Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara, hailing the Moroccan Autonomy Plan as the most viable path to a lasting resolution of that territorial dispute. Tangara further highlighted Morocco's major diplomatic breakthroughs in recent years, citing the UK's decision to support the Moroccan autonomy plan. In recent years Gambia and Morocco have built strong bilateral relations and cooperation, and they have worked together in many areas within economic and social development. Gambia has worked with Morocco within the African Union and built several cooperation agreements . The West African country has also recently commended the Moroccan Atlantic Ocean Access Initiative, describing Morocco in 2024 as a pioneer of South-South cooperation . Tags: BouritaGambiaMoroccoWestern sahara
Morocco World
2 hours ago
- Morocco World
France, UK Poised to Recognise Palestine at Upcoming UN Summit
Rabat – The United States has reportedly issued private warnings to the United Kingdom and France, urging them not to move forward with unilaterally recognizing the Palestinian state at an upcoming UN summit, according to an exclusive by Middle East Eye. The conference, which will be co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, is set to take place from June 17–20 in New York and will focus on efforts to revive the long-stalled two-state solution. France is reportedly planning to declare recognition of Palestinian statehood at the summit and has been actively encouraging the UK to do the same — an initiative that British officials appear increasingly open to, according to French reports. Characterized by media sources as a 'point of no return' for the two-state framework, the summit is expected to culminate in a binding roadmap, with concrete timelines for Palestinian statehood and potential punitive measures for those who obstruct its implementation. Officials within the British Foreign Office told MEE that the US has conveyed its opposition to this potential move, cautioning both nations against formal recognition and pushing them to step back from any such commitments — warnings delivered in spite of growing pressure from Arab governments and various global stakeholders calling for decisive recognition of Palestinian sovereignty. Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, insisted that Washington lacks any valid justification to intervene in a decision that lies within the sovereign rights of the UK and France. He maintained that recognizing Palestine would affirm its legitimate claim to nationhood and elevate it to equal standing in any future peace process. During preliminary consultations at the United Nations and at a June 1 meeting in Amman, Arab foreign ministers made clear that the success of the upcoming summit would hinge on formal recognition by influential global powers. A number of Arab officials condemned Israel's decision to block the high-level delegation — including representatives from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar — from meeting with Palestinian leadership in Ramallah. The delegation described Israel's obstruction as a 'blatant violation' that illustrates 'the arrogance of the Israeli government' and its continued 'disregard for international law.' This incident followed Israeli gunfire directed at Arab diplomats in the West Bank just days earlier, with Israel labelling the delegation's presence as 'provocative' and accusing the Palestinian Authority of failing to denounce the events of October 7 — while simultaneously amplifying its narrative of victimhood nearly two years into its live-streamed campaign of genocide in Gaza. Such a state would undoubtedly become a terrorist entity in the heart of the Land of Israel,' claimed an Israeli official, declaring that Israel would refuse to cooperate with what it sees as a threat to its existence. Should France and the UK proceed, they would become the first G7 members to officially recognize Palestine — a move that would significantly alter Israel's global diplomatic posture. Israel's threats Israel has already warned of serious consequences, with Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer threatening annexation of parts of the West Bank in response. In line with these threats, the Israeli government recently authorized the creation of 22 new illegal settlements in the West Bank, claiming the move was designed to 'strengthen our hold on Judea and Samaria'— a euphemism that attempts to repackage ethnic cleansing and land theft as strategic sovereignty. Simultaneously, Israeli has revived its highly contentious E1 settlement plan — long denounced for undermining the territorial contiguity of a Palestinian state. The project risks severing East Jerusalem from the West Bank and severing the territory itself. Earlier in May, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich confirmed the government's intent to approve the construction of 3,412 housing units in the E1 zone in the coming months. The reactivation of the E1 plan has reignited debate in the UK about recognising Palestine, particularly given that Britain had signalled as far back as 2014 that it might do so if Israel advanced the E1 project. Frustration continues to mount in Britain and across Europe, as Israel's aggressive expansion of settlements — and its blatant defiance of international law — shatter any remaining illusions of a genuine two-state outcome. While framed as a peaceful and just breakthrough, the two-state solution is also widely controversial as it legitimizes Israel's occupation and the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians since 1948. This framework offers a fragmented and non-sovereign state in only 22% of historic Palestine, and denies millions of refugees their right to return – falsely presenting Israel and Palestine as equal negotiating partners, despite the vast power imbalance and ongoing military occupation, apartheid and ethnic cleansing.
Morocco World
2 hours ago
- Morocco World
Hajj: Saudi Arabia Launches World's Largest Cooling System for Pilgrims
Rabat – Saudi Arabia has announced the launch of the world's largest cooling system at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, where pilgrims are gathering to perform the Hajj pilgrimage. More than 1.4 million pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, which kicked off today. Saudi authorities promised to take all necessary measures to ensure the success of the Hajj season amid scorching temperatures. The newly launched cooling system has a capacity of 155,000 refrigeration tonnes, The National reported on Tuesday. According to the report, the system is set to ensure that temperatures at the mosque remain between 22 and 24 degrees Celsius. These efforts are part of Saudi Arabia's 'comprehensive vision aimed at elevating the pilgrim experience and providing the highest levels of comfort and tranquility during ritual performance, especially given the potentially harsh weather conditions,' argued The National report. Last year, Saudi authorities announced the death of 1,3000 pilgrims due to temperatures that reached 50 degrees. The number included 20 Moroccans who died during the 2024 Hajj season. Morocco has a pilgrim quota of 34,000, with 22,400 pilgrims being monitored through official government channels and 11,600 through travel agencies. Moroccans paid at least $65,000 to perform the Hajj this season. King Mohammed VI last month addressed a message to Moroccan pilgrims, asking them to honor and represent Morocco's values. 'I therefore expect you to be ambassadors for your country and preserve this bright cultural image. Keep in mind that it is these incontrovertible values which have enabled our country to continue to enjoy security and stability, and to press ahead,' the King said.
