Finland supports autonomy plan as ‘Good Basis’ to settle Sahara issue

By: Napoleon Ato Kittoe

Finland deems the Moroccan Autonomy Plan as “a good basis for a solution” to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.

This position was expressed in the Joint Communiqué, published this Tuesday in Helsinki, following talks between Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, and Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen.

The new position of Finland, the first Nordic country to formally support the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco, strengthens the momentum within the European Union, thus becoming the 17th EU member country to support the autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty. It comes only a week after that of France.

“Finland considers the autonomy plan presented in 2007 as a serious and credible contribution to the UN-led political process and as a good basis for a solution agreed upon between the parties,” according to the communiqué, reiterating its support for the “political process aimed at reaching a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution”.

This is a State position, involving all spheres of the State, within the executive and legislative branches. It was taken in consultation with the President, and following consultation with the Government and Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee.

In this communiqué, both ministers also expressed their common position on the exclusive role of the United Nations in the political process, reaffirming their support for the UN Security Council resolutions and the support of their respective countries for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, aimed at advancing this process.

Finland’s new position is part of the momentum of international support for Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara and the Autonomy Plan, under Moroccan sovereignty, supported by many countries, under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI in recent years.

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