São Tomé & Príncipe supports Moroccan Sovereignty in the Sahara

São Tomé & Príncipe Supports Moroccan Sovereignty in the Sahara, Calls Autonomy the Viable Path Forward

(By Napoleon Ato Kittoe)

The Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe reiterated on Tuesday its steadfast position in support of the Moroccanness of the Sahara and of the autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty as the only solution to this regional dispute.

In a statement to the press following her meetings in Rabat with Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates Mr. Nasser Bourita, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and Communities of São Tomé and Príncipe Mrs. Ilza Maria dos Santos Amado Vaz, reiterated her country’s firm and unwavering position in favor of Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over its entire territory, including the Sahara region.

On this occasion, the head of São Tomé and Príncipe’s diplomacy reaffirmed her country’s full support for the autonomy plan presented by the Kingdom of Morocco, as the only credible and realistic solution for resolving this regional dispute.

She also welcomed the historic adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2797, which, within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty, endorses the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco as a serious, credible, and sustainable basis for reaching a political solution to this issue.

The head of São Tomé and Príncipe’s diplomacy also welcomed the significant progress made by the Kingdom of Morocco in Southern Provinces’ socio-economic development through the New Development Model, which promotes stability, security, and regional integration.

São Tomé and Príncipe’s position, as reaffirmed by Mrs. Amado Vaz, is part of the growing international consensus, the outcome of an international momentum driven by His Majesty King Mohammed VI in support of the autonomy plan and the Kingdom’s sovereignty over its Sahara.