Asharq AL-awsat
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has affirmed that he intends to “make Morocco a key player in shaping the Africa of the future.”
“I have paid visits to numerous African countries, and close to 1,000 agreements have been signed, covering all areas of cooperation.”
He said that autonomy was the only way towards the settlement of the Moroccan-Sahara issue.
“The Autonomy Initiative provides for that solution, given that it is not only serious and credible but also rooted in sound principles. It is the only way forward towards a settlement guaranteeing full respect for the Kingdom’s national unity and territorial integrity,” the King said in a speech to the nation on the occasion of the 44th anniversary of the Green March.
For the King of Morocco, this perspective has been reinforced by the ever-increasing number of countries, more than 163 to date, which do not recognize the fictitious SADR entity (Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic).
Morocco has always been clear in its position concerning the “Moroccanness of the Sahara as much as in its firm belief in the justness of its cause and the legitimacy of its rights,” Mohammed VI said.
He stressed that the Kingdom will continue to “work honestly and in good faith to achieve a political, realistic, practical and consensual solution based exclusively on the political approach adopted by the United Nations Organization and the relevant Security Council resolutions”.
King Mohammed explained that the youth of the Maghreb need an open space for interaction and exchange, while the business sector requires favorable conditions for development — he asserted that Morocco needs to be an effective partner to its allies in Europe and sub-Saharan Africa.
The King went on to describe the unique challenges, hopes, and expectations of Morocco’s citizens, neighbors, and allies. However, the common enemy, according to King Mohammed, is immobility and a low level of development.
