President Macron Firmly Reiterates France’s Support for Morocco’s Sovereignty over Its Sahara

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The President of the French Republic, H.E. Emmanuel Macron, firmly reiterated his country’s support for Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara on Tuesday at a joint session of the two Houses of the Moroccan Parliament. “And I reaffirm it here before you. For France, the present and future of this territory lie within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty. Autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty is the framework within which this question must be resolved,” declared the French Head of State, reiterating the clear and strong position he had communicated in his message to His Majesty King Mohammed VI on the occasion of the 25th Throne Day. President Macron also pledged, in the name of France, to “accompany Morocco in international fora,” stressing that “the 2007 autonomy plan is the only basis for achieving a just, lasting and negotiated political solution in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.” “And I say here too, with great force, that our operators and our companies will support the development of these territories through investment and sustainable, mutually-supportive initiatives for the benefit of the local population,” he affirmed before the nation’s elected representatives. This significant change in France’s position is set by President Macron against a regional backdrop that must give priority to cooperation and consultation. In this context, he explained that “this position is not hostile to anyone. It rather opens a new page between us, and with all those who wish to act within a framework of regional cooperation, in the Mediterranean, with Morocco’s neighboring countries and with the European Union.” By recognizing the Kingdom’s immemorial rights, France, through this historic speech delivered by its President before the dome of Parliament, confirms the deep ties that bind the two States and the two peoples. “Throughout the past decades, Morocco and France have remained faithful allies in troubled times, and France has never failed Morocco on any of the existential issues it has faced”, the French President emphasized.