Another world power has just aligned itself with the interests of the Kingdom of Morocco in relation to the occupation and control it exercises over the territory of Western Sahara. With a seat in the G7 and defender of the sovereignty of recently attacked countries such as Ukraine or Iran, also of the rights of the Palestinian people and in favor of the creation of their state; Canada announced this Wednesday that it is taking the same step that the US or France took before. Support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara.
It was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Anita Anand, who was in charge of making the announcement that she had previously conveyed to her Moroccan counterpart, Naser Burita, during a communication that took place yesterday. In this way, Ottawa is closing ranks with a plan that has been gaining greater support in recent years, culminating in the approval of resolution 2797 of the United Nations Security Council, which symbolized how this conflict had been addressed in the UN until then.
The head of Canadian diplomacy has made it clear that the approval of said resolution has been key. Canada “recognizes the importance of the Western Sahara issue for Morocco,” said Anan, stressing that it also “takes note” of the approval of the aforementioned resolution to show its support for the autonomy plan “as a basis for a mutually acceptable solution and as a serious and credible initiative to achieve a just and lasting solution to the conflict.”
There will be a visit in “the next few weeks”
The Canadian Executive has also adopted other language formulas around the Moroccan sovereignty plan, highlighting “the need to reach a lasting, just and mutually acceptable political solution, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter and the relevant resolutions of the Security Council.” At the same time, Anand has also announced that there will soon be a meeting with the Moroccan authorities. Specifically, he referred to the “interest” in “carrying out an official visit to Morocco in the coming weeks” in view of “renewed bilateral relations based on mutual respect, constructive dialogue and openness.”
It should be noted that, despite the terminology that accompanies this battery of announcements favorable to Morocco, the Moroccan plan does not contemplate holding the self-determination referendum to be voted on by the Sahrawis. All Moroccan citizens would vote for it and, if successful, self-government would consist of King Mohammed VI appointing a person as ruler of Western Sahara.
In fact, since the ceasefire agreement was signed between Morocco and the Polisario Front in 1991, the great obstacle to asking the inhabitants of Western Sahara is who would make up the census for said vote. Rabat had always demanded that the Moroccan settlers who progressively integrated into the territory be included.
