Portugal has reaffirmed its strong backing to the autonomy plan offered by Morocco for the Sahara under its sovereignty, describing the Moroccan initiative as a serious and realistic solution in line with resolutions of the UN and the Security Council.
The supportive stand comes in the Joint Declaration issued following the 14th Portuguese-Moroccan High-Level Meeting, held Friday in Lisbon, under co-chairmanship of Portugal’ Prime minister António Costa and Moroccan peer Aziz Akhannouch.
Lisbon also reiterated its firm support for the UN-led process seeking to find an enduring and mutually acceptable political solution to the Sahara regional conflict.
Both parties agreed on the UN exclusive role in handling the Sahara issue and reaffirmed their support for UN Security Council Resolution 2654, which stresses the role and responsibility of the parties to the conflict to find a realistic, pragmatic, and political solution based on compromise.
The 14th Portuguese-Moroccan high-level meeting was crowned with the signing of several cooperation agreements destined to bolster further partnership between the two countries in trade, economy, energy, investment, ports, youth culture, higher education, crafts, social solidarity, and justice.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Akhannouch was received by President of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in presence of Foreign minister Nasser Bourita and Moroccan ambassador to Portugal Othmane Bahnini.
Source: North Africa Post
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