Speaking at a joint press briefing with Zambia's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mulambo Haimbe, at the close of the 1st session of the Morocco-Zambia Joint Commission for Cooperation, Bourita listed the most notable progress in the issue of territorial integrity during the current year.

He highlighted France's support, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, for Morocco's sovereignty over its Sahara, as stated in the letter sent by French President Emmanuel Macron to HM King Mohammed VI last July. This support was confirmed during Macron's latest State visit to Rabat at the end of October.

Bourita also recalled the growing international support for the autonomy plan put forward by Morocco, noting that at least four European states - Slovenia, Finland, Denmark and Estonia - have joined the ranks of countries backing this initiative as a basis for resolving the conflict.

Over 20 European Union (EU) member countries have expressed their support for the autonomy plan, while more than 113 countries worldwide have lent their backing to the plan, he added.

The year 2024, he went on, was also marked by a series of suspensions of recognition of the so-called “rasd,” the latest being those of Ecuador in October and Panama in November, "which confirms that the separatist thesis continues to fade,” recalling that some fifty countries have withdrawn their recognition of the puppet entity over the last two decades. "Today, only 28 countries still recognize the so-called rasd,” he added.

Bourita also noted that the year 2024 was marked by the holding of four joint commissions (Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Gambia and Zambia) in Laayoune and Dakhla, stressing that these African countries “have all expressed their support for Morocco's territorial integrity and sovereignty over all its territory, including the Moroccan Sahara, through meetings and cooperation agreements signed on this occasion.”

In addition, the Minister recalled that the Security Council resolution adopted this year “was a powerful signal, despite the fact that the Council's composition includes parties directly concerned by the dispute."

In this respect, the resolution not only preserves Morocco's accomplishments, but also highlights two essential elements, namely the positive momentum surrounding the Sahara issue thanks to HM the King's strong impetus, and the Security Council's confirmation that “anyone opting for arms and choosing to undermine the ceasefire has no seat at the negotiating table”.

"Without strict respect for the ceasefire, there will be no dialogue, negotiations or political process,” he said, pointing out that the political process is conducted with serious and credible parties who respect the law and international agreements.

Thus, he explained, the Security Council expressly stresses that anything that threatens the ceasefire and security jeopardizes the political process itself.

Bourita also emphasized the dynamic of opening consulates general in Laayoune and Dakhla in 2024, which today totals 30 consulates, recalling that more than 27 countries have opened diplomatic representations in the cities of Dakhla and Laayoune, representing almost 40% of African Union countries.

In this regard, he pointed out that for the past three or four years, the African Union has not issued any declaration, report or position on the Moroccan Sahara issue, which remains under the exclusive aegis of the United Nations.

At the level of the European Union, the Minister pointed out that “for the first time in 22 years, the European Parliament has put an end to the ‘Western Sahara’ intergroup, which existed during the last four terms of office of the EP,” noting that the major groups within the European hemicycle had decided to suspend this intergroup, which was one of the lobbying instruments used to promote separatist theses.

This is a "powerful signal from the EU and the European Parliament that today there is a single path mapped out by HM the King, and that there is a momentum driven by the Sovereign with tangible outcomes at bilateral, international and European level, based on development projects and the new development model for the southern provinces, launched in 2016,” he concluded.