Following his visit to Rabat, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy informed Parliament of his department's endorsement of Morocco's autonomy plan as the most credible solution to the Western Sahara conflict, emphasizing that it «advances regional security, stability, and prosperity». Following his recent visit to Rabat, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy updated the the Parliament on the UK's «deepening partnership with the Kingdom of Morocco» and its new position on the Western Sahara issue. «While in Morocco, I announced the UK's endorsement of Morocco's autonomy proposal as the most credible, viable, and pragmatic basis for a solution to the conflict», Lammy stated, in a message shared, Tuesday, by Ray Collins, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Africa. «In parallel, I welcomed Morocco's willingness, outlined in our joint communiqué, to engage in good faith with all relevant parties and provide further details on what autonomy could entail, with a view to restarting serious negotiations», he added in his address to Parliament. Lammy emphasized that, through this position, the UK government is «advancing regional security, stability and prosperity by supporting efforts to resolve the longstanding Western Sahara conflict, which has persisted for nearly five decades». The conflict, he noted, has «undermined regional stability and hindered economic development, particularly affecting Sahrawi refugees residing in the Tindouf camps». Referring to a «renewed international engagement», Lammy said this creates «a window of opportunity to shift the dial on this intractable conflict and support the parties and the UN in reaching a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable solution». He also stressed that by backing the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco in 2007, his office is «redoubling its efforts to help realise this opportunity». A UK-Morocco trade partnership In addition to the Western Sahara issue, Lammy's visit also focused on strengthening the UK-Morocco partnership across a range of shared priorities. He noted that the bilateral trade relationship between London and Rabat exceeds £4 billion annually—a partnership that should be further reinforced to «advance mutual goals in security, prosperity, and sustainable development—delivering tangible benefits for British businesses and supporting the Government's Plan for Change to boost economic growth». Lammy highlighted a series of partnership agreements signed during his Sunday visit, which he said are opening «opportunities for UK businesses across a range of sectors, including access to public procurement markets in Morocco, where opportunities are estimated to be worth approximately £33 billion over the next three years». He also referred to a government-to-government partnership signed with Morocco that allows British companies to compete for contracts linked to Morocco's infrastructure development ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup. Additionally, he announced enhanced cooperation on migration and counterterrorism, as well as joint initiatives to address water scarcity and climate change.
