The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Morocco, Naser Burita, has stated that the current situation regarding Western Sahara is "at a historic turning point" following the resolution approved almost a year ago by the United Nations Security Council on the autonomy plan promoted by Rabat for this territory. He also emphasized that the controversy is advancing along an "irreversible" path, despite the outright rejection of the Polisario Front to this approach.
"Thanks to the momentum initiated by King Mohammed VI, the issue of Moroccan Sahara reached a historic turning point with the adoption by the UN Security Council of resolution 2797 last October," he noted in his speech before the 81st General Assembly, referring to a document that defines the Moroccan proposal as "the most viable solution" to the conflict.
Burita added that "since then, this regional dispute has embarked on an irreversible course, breaking with the past and looking towards the future with a view to its definitive resolution," stressing that "this path is based on principles and parameters that do not allow any interpretation regarding lines or margins, as some attempt in vain, deceiving themselves and distancing themselves from reality."
In this regard, he reiterated that the UN text establishes that "there is no solution to the framework of autonomy, under Moroccan sovereignty" and that "there is no mechanism outside the political negotiation process under the auspices of the UN, and only based on one foundation, the autonomy initiative presented by Morocco." This position clashes with that of the Polisario Front, which maintains its demand for an independence referendum.
The head of Moroccan diplomacy has stressed that "there can be no discussion or dispute about the responsibilities and obligations of the four parties clearly identified by resolution 2797 of the Security Council" and has warned that "the preferred 'statu quo' of other parties should not be maintained." "The train of the political solution has already departed," he concluded.
In this context, he accused the Polisario Front of "violating the ceasefire" and "not respecting the resolutions of the UN Security Council," while emphasizing that "it cannot be accepted that the population continues to be held in camps as if they were hostages for half a century," referring to the Sahrawis settled in camps in Algeria after leaving the areas controlled by Morocco.
Burita has also emphasized that, "in parallel to its firm commitment to the definitive solution of this regional dispute, Morocco continues to drive with determination the social and economic development of its southern provinces, particularly in the areas of infrastructure, higher education, the healthcare sector, and airports, among others."
The minister has highlighted that the inhabitants of the areas of Western Sahara under Moroccan administration are called to the polls this Wednesday to participate in the legislative elections, something that, he has said, will allow "to strengthen parliamentary representation" and "to contribute to the daily management of the needs of the inhabitants in the Moroccan provinces."
Rabat's Position on Palestine and the Two-State Solution
In another part of his speech before the UN General Assembly, the Moroccan Foreign Minister addressed the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, emphasizing that "the Palestinian issue remains a constant priority" for Rabat and that "it is a just and central cause for achieving peace and stability in the Middle East."
He has argued that "lasting peace in the Middle East depends on the establishment of an independent, sovereign, and viable Palestinian state within the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living alongside the State of Israel, in peace and security," making an additional call "for respectful and peaceful coexistence."
Burita has insisted on the importance of "supporting" the Palestinian Authority and "accompanying the reforms it has initiated," while also backing the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the face of criticism and pressure from Israel. He has also demanded the "entry of humanitarian aid in sufficient quantity" to the Gaza Strip, the scene of an Israeli military offensive following the attacks of October 7, 2023.
In this regard, he recalled that Rabat decided to integrate into the International Stabilization Force (ISF, for its acronym in English) in Gaza, included in the proposal presented by the United States for the future of the Strip and accepted in October 2025 by both Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
Regarding the West Bank, the minister has described the situation as "deeply alarming" due to the increase in military operations by the Israeli Army, attacks by settlers, and "the adoption of certain laws that affect the legal status of Palestinian territory and pave the way for the confiscation of land for the expansion of settlements."
"All these measures point in one direction, that of population displacement and that of undermining the material basis for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state," denounced Burita, who also condemned the "Israeli unilateral measures" and the "repeated violations of the sanctity" of the Al Aqsa mosque, located on the Temple Mount.