Last night in Paris, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita held talks with his French counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot. This meeting takes place as the UN Security Council prepares to vote on a new resolution concerning Western Sahara in the coming days. The Western Sahara issue was a focal point in the discussions between the two ministers. Jean-Noël Barrot reiterated to Nasser Bourita that «France's steadfast stance is that the present and future of Western Sahara should be under Moroccan sovereignty», according to a statement from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Barrot also stressed that «the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco in 2007, which is gaining increasing international support, remains the sole foundation for reaching a just, lasting, and negotiated political solution, in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions. In this regard, France is strongly committed at the United Nations to achieving a definitive political resolution to this issue». It is worth noting that France officially recognized Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara on July 30, 2024. Currently, Paris is working alongside Washington and London to further elaborate on Rabat's 2007 autonomy plan. Beyond the Sahara issue, the meeting between the two ministers also marks the 70th anniversary of the La Celle-Saint-Cloud agreement, signed on November 6, 1955. This historic event is set to be celebrated by establishing a «new strategic framework» between France and Morocco, an initiative announced by President Emmanuel Macron during his state visit to Morocco in October 2024. Additionally, Nasser Bourita participated yesterday in Paris at the 4th Ministerial Conference on Feminist Diplomacies.
