Belgium has officially joined the list of Western nations supporting Morocco’s autonomy plan as a pathway to resolve the decades-long conflict over Western Sahara.
A joint declaration signed in Brussels on Thursday sealed Belgium’s endorsement of the initiative first introduced by Morocco in 2007.
Belgium’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maxime Prévot, described the proposal as one that “places the region within the framework of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and national unity.”
He added that it represents “the most suitable, serious, credible, and realistic foundation for achieving a political resolution that is fair, lasting, and mutually acceptable.”
Morocco’s Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita, welcomed Belgium’s move, calling it recognition of the “realistic and legitimate vision championed” by King Mohammed VI.
The Western Sahara conflict, which began in 1975, pits Morocco, which claims the vast desert region as part of its territory against the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which seeks to establish an independent state.
Deputy Prime Minister Prévot emphasized that Belgium will now align its diplomatic and economic actions with this new stance on Morocco’s autonomy plan.
Belgium’s position brings it in line with several major powers, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and other European Union members, who have already endorsed the plan.
Meanwhile, Algeria and the Polisario Front have criticized Western nations supporting Morocco’s proposal, maintaining their call for a referendum that includes independence as an option.
The growing wave of international support for Morocco’s plan comes as the United Nations intensifies efforts to bring a definitive end to the 50 year old dispute.
