"Based on the relevant provisions of Security Council Resolution 2602, Côte d'Ivoire calls for the resumption of the roundtable process, in the same format with the participation of Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania and Polisario," said the Deputy Permanent Representative of Côte d'Ivoire to the UN, Desire Walfran before the 4th Committee of the UN General Assembly.

He noted that his country encourages these four participants to remain committed throughout this process in order to achieve a political solution of compromise, realistic, pragmatic and sustainable to this long-standing regional dispute.

Highlighting the "constant" commitment of Morocco to a political solution acceptable to all to this artificial conflict, the Ivorian diplomat reaffirmed the "full support" of his country to the Moroccan initiative of broad autonomy which is a "pragmatic and compromise solution to the issue of the Moroccan Sahara.

"This autonomy plan also supported by a large majority of member states is a realistic, credible and serious basis for achieving a negotiated solution between the parties. It is consistent with international law, the Charter and relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly of the United Nations," he said, adding that this plan also provides an opportunity for the people of the Moroccan Sahara to become significantly involved in the management of issues that affect them politically, economically and socially.

Mr. Walfran also reiterated the full support of Côte d'Ivoire to the exclusively UN process whose purpose is to find a realistic, pragmatic and sustainable political solution based on compromise between the parties and this, in accordance with the requirements of Security Council resolutions, adopted since 2007 on the issue.

He said in this context, appreciate the commitment of the UN Secretary General, for the final settlement of this issue, while welcoming the recent visits of his new Personal Envoy for the Moroccan Sahara, Staffan de Mistura in Rabat, Tindouf, Algiers and Nouakchott.

"These good offices efforts must be supported by the stakeholders that my delegation urges to revive the real hope raised by the round tables on the Moroccan Sahara dispute, held in December 2018 and March 2019 in Switzerland," he stressed.

He also considered that it is "undeniable" that the issue of security and stability in the Maghreb and the Sahel region can be addressed with confidence with the successful completion of the political process to resolve the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.

The Ivorian diplomat did not fail to highlight, on this occasion, the regular participation of the inhabitants of the Sahara in the general elections in Morocco, including those of September 8, 2021 to freely designate their elected officials both national and local, which illustrates sufficiently, according to him, the political autonomy they enjoy.

He welcomed, in this regard, the participation of representatives from these deadlines to the regional seminars of the C24 on the Moroccan Sahara and the 4th Committee of the UN GA.

The Ivorian diplomat also welcomed the new development model for the southern provinces launched in 2015 by HM King Mohammed VI, which allows this region to record significant socio-economic progress, saying that these massive and well-targeted investments have a significant impact on the welfare of local populations and on the human development index in the area.

He also welcomed actions initiated by the Kingdom to strengthen the role of the Regional Human Rights Commissions in Laayoune and Dakhla, as well as its exemplary cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the region.

-News on Western Sahara issue/Corcas-