Fri Jul 21 2023 6:55 p.m
Lisbon – Former Portuguese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Paulo Portas said that the decision of the State of Israel to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara will promote peace, stability and development in the region.
Portas told MAP that Israel’s recognition of the Moroccanness of the Sahara is an “important step” that is likely to promote values of tolerance and coexistence in a “safe and stable” region.
According to the former defense minister, Israel’s decision follows the momentum and broad international support for the Moroccan autonomy initiative.
He stressed that the autonomy plan presented by the Kingdom will continue to garner international support, meaning that it is the “only realistic solution” and constitutes a “good basis” for resolving this regional dispute, adding that the Moroccan initiative will make it possible to provide a decent life for the population, within the framework of peace, tranquility and development.
He stressed that the opening of consulates by African, Arab and Latin American countries in the southern provinces of the Kingdom is clear evidence of the growing international support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and its unwavering support for the southern provinces of the Kingdom.
In addition, the former minister highlighted the boom in development and economic dynamics in the southern governorates of the Kingdom, particularly in the cities of Laayoune and Dakhla, stressing that with this dynamism, the Moroccan Sahara today has become a real commercial and tourist center in the region, as well as a gateway to Africa.
Last Monday, a statement issued by the Royal Court indicated that King Mohammed VI had received a letter from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announcing his country’s decision to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over its desert.
The Israeli prime minister added that his country’s position “will be reflected in all relevant acts and documents of the Israeli government” and that it “will be conveyed to the United Nations and regional and international organizations of which Israel is a member, as well as to all countries with which Israel maintains diplomatic relations.”
In his message to His Majesty the King, the Israeli Prime Minister informed that Israel is positively considering “opening a consulate in the city of Dakhla”, within the framework of embodying this state decision.
