C24: Gabon Reaffirms Support for Autonomy Plan, Compromise Solution

Gabon reaffirmed, in New York, its support to the Moroccan autonomy plan, calling it a compromise solution to resolve the regional dispute over the Sahara. The Moroccan autonomy initiative is “consistent with international law, the Charter and resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly of the United Nations,” said the Gabonese delegation at the annual meeting of the Committee of 24 (C24) of the UN, affirming that this plan enjoys strong international support. It recalled, in this context, that the Security Council, in its successive resolutions since 2007, including 2602, welcomed the serious and credible efforts made by Morocco to find a solution to this issue. Reaffirming its country’s support for the political process conducted under the aegis of the UN Secretary-General, aimed at reaching a realistic, feasible and lasting political solution based on compromise, to the question of the Moroccan Sahara, as recommended by the 18 Security Council resolutions since 2007, the delegation welcomed the round table process, with the participation of Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania and the “polisario”, in accordance with the resolutions of the Security Council, in particular 2602. In this regard, it emphasized the Security Council’s request to the four participants to remain committed, showing realism and spirit of compromise throughout the political process, to ensure a positive outcome. Welcoming the first regional tour by the UN SG’s Personal Envoy for the Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, last January, Gabon expressed its support for his efforts to resume the roundtable process, building on the progress of his predecessor with the same four participants and in the same format, pursuant to Security Council resolution 2602. Furthermore, Gabon praised the holding, on September 8, 2021, of legislative -, communal and regional – elections in Morocco, including in the Moroccan Sahara, which “took place in a democratic, free and transparent atmosphere without any incident as confirmed by all national and international observers”. Gabon also stressed the Kingdom’s continued efforts to improve the living conditions of the population of the Moroccan Sahara. Referring to the human rights situation of the population in the Tindouf camps, especially women and children, the Gabonese delegation denounced the violations of the fundamental rights of these categories. “In this context, we insist on the need to proceed with their registration in accordance with international humanitarian law, the mandate of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the recommendations of the Secretary-General and all the resolutions of the Security Council since 2011, including resolution 2602,” it stressed.