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Morocco considers the non-extension of the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Moroccan Sahara (MINURSO) as a decisive step towards the final settlement of the Sahara file. In a statement issued on Friday, 30 October, the Royal Cabinet stated that this development should pave the way for the withdrawal of the mission and the end of the periodic review of the matter by the Security Council.
According to the statement, the UN Security Council did not extend the mandate of MINURSO at its meeting on 30 October. Rabat sees it as an important development and a significant step towards the definitive closure of the Moroccan Sahara dossier within the United Nations.
Morocco considers that this decision should lead, in the coming days, to the end of the presence of the mission in the southern provinces, in particular through the withdrawal of its personnel, vehicles, equipment and symbols.
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The Royal Cabinet presents this evolution that coincides with the celebration of the Feast of Unity decreed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI to embody a break with the past in the handling of this dossier as the end of a 35-year sequence. The statement believes that MINURSO, inherited from a now outdated context, has long been an instrument of internationalization of the territorial dispute around the Sahara.
Beyond the future of the mission, Rabat defends a broader reading of the consequences of the non-extension of its mandate. Morocco considers that this development should also put an end to the inclusion of the Sahara issue on the agenda of the Security Council, as well as the periodic meetings devoted to the file.
The statement also mentions the end of the UN Secretary-General’s reports on the issue and briefings by his personal envoy. The Kingdom thus believes that the UN political process, which it considers marked by the blockages and immobilism of the other parties, should also end.
While welcoming this development, Rabat reaffirms its commitment to the maintenance of the ceasefire, with respect for its territorial integrity, national security and the tranquility of its citizens.
The statement also insists on the continuation of the diplomatic dynamics initiated by King Mohammed VI at the bilateral and regional levels. This strategy has made it possible to rally significant international support to the initiative of autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty.
The Royal Cabinet states that more than two-thirds of UN member states, including permanent members of the Security Council and influential international powers, clearly support this initiative, presented by Rabat as the only framework for resolving the regional dispute.
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