Human Rights Council in Geneva: Support for Moroccan Sahara

Increased support for the member states of the Human Rights Council in Geneva for the Moroccan Sahara and for Rabat’s serious efforts to resolve the conflict.

During the 49th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, 34 States expressed their full support for the Moroccan identity of the Sahara and for Moroccan sovereignty over its southern territories.

The Group “Supporting the Territorial Unity of the Kingdom of Morocco” in Geneva reiterated its support for Morocco’s full sovereignty over its southern territories and for its serious efforts to settle the conflict.

The Group of States pointed out that the Sahara issue is a political dispute to be addressed by the Security Council, which recognizes as serious and credible the priority of the autonomy initiative presented by Morocco in order to reach a final political solution to the regional dispute over the Sahara.

In this declaration, which was read by Ambassador Permanent Representative of Bahrain in Geneva, Abdul Karim Bujeiri, the Group welcomed the appointment of Staffan de Mistura as the new Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who was entrusted with relaunching the exclusive political process of the United Nations, on the basis of the formula established during the round tables held in Geneva, in accordance with Security Council resolutions.

The members of the Group stressed that the resolution of this regional dispute will inevitably contribute to the realization of the legitimate aspirations of the African and Arab peoples for integration and development, for which Morocco continues to strive and to make sincere and sustained efforts.

For many years, Morocco has engaged in a constructive, voluntary and in-depth interaction with the United Nations human rights system, in particular the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in order to promote and respect human rights throughout the national territory of the Kingdom, they noted.

In its resolutions on the Sahara conflict, the Security Council welcomed the role played by the regional commissions of the National Human Rights Council in Dakhla and Laayoune, as well as Morocco’s positive interaction with the special procedures mechanisms of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

It also welcomed the opening by many States of consulates-general in the cities of Dakhla and Laayoune, which constitute a lever for the promotion of economic cooperation and investment, for the benefit of local populations and for the promotion of regional as well as continental development.

“It is important to stress that the interaction of Member States with the Council and the High Commissioner should be bilateral in nature and be safeguarded from any exploitation, which generates political discussions that are counterproductive to the purposes of the Human Rights Council”,  it said.