Antigua and Barbuda Reaffirms Support to Morocco’s Autonomy Plan in C-24 Meeting

Antigua and Barbuda reaffirmed, during the UN C-24 annual meeting, its support for Morocco’s autonomy plan as the “compromise-based solution” to resolve the dispute over the Sahara. The autonomy plan “is consistent with international law, the UN Charter and resolutions of the Security Council and the UN General Assembly,” the representative of Antigua and Barbuda told C-24 members. He also said that his country supports the political process conducted under the exclusive auspices of the UN SG, stressing the importance of a strong commitment from the parties to achieve a pragmatic and lasting political solution, based on compromise. The diplomat called, in this sense, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania and the “polisario”, to actively participate, in good faith, in the process of round-table discussions as “the only peaceful way to achieve a happy ending” of the regional dispute over the Sahara. Welcoming the first tour that the Personal Envoy of the UN SG for the Sahara, Staffan de Mistura has made in the region, he said that his country will continue to support the UN envoy to resume this process and capitalize on the progress made by his predecessor, Horst Kohler. At the same time, the diplomat welcomed the respect by Morocco of the ceasefire, while calling on the other parties to do the same and return to the negotiating table to achieve a peaceful solution in the interest of stability and security in the region.