Several Gulf countries reaffirmed on Monday their firm and consistent support for Morocco’s Autonomy Initiative as the only viable framework to resolve the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara, during sessions of the UN General Assembly’s 4th Committee in New York.
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Qatar each reiterated their positions backing Morocco’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, emphasizing that the Autonomy Initiative remains the most credible and realistic basis for a lasting political solution in line with international law and UN resolutions.
Speaking before the Committee, the representative of Saudi Arabia declared that Riyadh “renews its support for the Autonomy initiative in the Moroccan Sahara within the framework of Morocco's sovereignty and territorial integrity,” describing it as a solution “consistent with international law, the UN Charter, and the resolutions of the Security Council and the UN General Assembly.” He recalled that the initiative has been welcomed by the Security Council in successive resolutions since 2007 and reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s support for the UN-led political process under the Secretary-General’s supervision.
The representative of Bahrain expressed her country’s “steady and consistent support” for Morocco in preserving its security and territorial integrity. She reiterated Manama’s endorsement of Morocco’s serious and credible efforts to reach a political solution based on the Autonomy Initiative, and welcomed the efforts of the UN Secretary-General to achieve a pragmatic and lasting settlement within Morocco’s sovereignty.
Similarly, the State of Qatar reaffirmed its backing for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan, describing it as a “constructive initiative” and the foundation for any realistic solution to the Sahara issue. Doha’s representative expressed full support for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy to advance a political process grounded in compromise and respect for Morocco’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 2756.
The coordinated reaffirmations by Gulf states underscore their unified stance in favor of Morocco’s Autonomy Initiative, which they view as the most credible path toward achieving a durable political solution to the long-standing regional dispute under the auspices of the United Nations.
