Sierra Leone's Foreign Minister, Zaïnab Bangura, reaffirmed, here Monday, her country's support for Morocco's proposal to grant substantial autonomy to the Sahara region.

The independence of the Sahara is not viable and only autonomy "would make progress in resolving a conflict" that has lasted for over 30 years, said Sunday, the Canary Islands newspaper "La Provincia."

Malian journalists, currently visiting the province of Laayoune, welcomed the "impressive" efforts carried out for the development of southern provinces and improvement of the quality of life of local populations, while welcoming the Moroccan autonomy initiative proposed by the Kingdom for the final settlement of the Sahara. 

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) has made "a genuine update" (of its position on the Sahara issue), through adjusting its approach to the notable developments taking place in this issue on the international scene and in particular in the United Nations, said, here Wednesday, Moroccan Foreign minister, Taib Fassi Fihri.

 A group of Mauritanian journalists announced the creation in Nouakchott of a platform called "initiative of Mauritanian journalists to support the Moroccan initiative of autonomy".