Guinea-Bissau renews support for Morocco’s Sahara autonomy plan

Yesterday 16:30

Guinea-Bissau has once again declared its support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over the Sahara, with Foreign Minister Fatumata Jau describing her country’s position as clear, consistent and unequivocal.

Jau made the statement on Saturday, September 26, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where she reiterated Bissau’s position on the long-running Western Sahara dispute.

Fatumata Jau reiterates Guinea-Bissau’s position

Speaking to the press, Jau said Guinea-Bissau continues to support Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over the Sahara. Her remarks reaffirmed a position she has also expressed in earlier diplomatic exchanges with Moroccan officials.

The minister also pointed to Guinea-Bissau’s decision to open a Consulate General in Dakhla in 2020 as a concrete expression of the country’s diplomatic position toward the territory.

The consulate has become part of the broader bilateral relationship between Guinea-Bissau and Morocco, particularly in the context of Rabat’s efforts to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties with African countries.

Support for Morocco’s autonomy proposal

Jau also reiterated Guinea-Bissau’s backing for the autonomy plan put forward by Morocco, describing it as her country’s preferred framework for resolving the regional dispute.

Her comments place Guinea-Bissau among the countries that have publicly expressed support for Morocco’s proposal while backing continued United Nations efforts toward a political settlement.

The issue remains under the UN-led political process. Security Council Resolution 2797, adopted on October 31, 2025, reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution based on compromise and consistent with the UN Charter, while calling for continued consultations involving Morocco, the Frente POLISARIO, Algeria and Mauritania.

Resolution 2797 enters Guinea-Bissau’s diplomatic message

Jau welcomed Resolution 2797 and linked Guinea-Bissau’s position to continued UN efforts to advance negotiations.

The resolution itself does not settle the sovereignty question. Its operative language calls for a mutually acceptable political solution and emphasizes the principle of self-determination, while supporting the work of the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy and the continuation of consultations between the parties and neighboring states.

Guinea-Bissau’s interpretation of the resolution reflects its own diplomatic position. UN documents also record differing interpretations of the resolution and of the status of the Moroccan autonomy proposal, underscoring that the wider dispute remains subject to an international political process.

A position repeated in recent diplomatic exchanges

Jau’s latest statement follows earlier remarks in Rabat in June, when she again expressed Guinea-Bissau’s support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and its autonomy proposal. At the time, she also highlighted the significance of her country’s consulate in Dakhla.

The repetition of the position in both bilateral and multilateral settings gives the latest declaration a broader diplomatic context. It comes as the Western Sahara issue remains a recurring subject of discussion at the United Nations and among countries maintaining relations with Morocco.

The UN General Assembly provides the latest diplomatic setting

The statement was delivered during the 81st UN General Assembly session, bringing Guinea-Bissau’s position into the wider diplomatic discussions taking place in New York.

For Bissau, the latest declaration represents a continuation of its established approach to the dispute. For Morocco, such statements form part of its broader diplomatic engagement surrounding the Sahara issue.

Jau concluded by emphasizing that Guinea-Bissau’s position had not changed, describing it as “clear, consistent and unequivocal.”