During back-to-back bilateral meetings with delegations from Bénin and Ghana, Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Abroad, Nasser Bourita, urged both nations to support the country’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara.

Bénin

The seventh session of the Morocco-Bénin Joint Cooperation Commission, held in Cotonou, concluded on July 21 with a joint statement in which the Republic of Bénin reiterated its unwavering support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over its entire territory, including the Sahara region.

In the statement, Bénin reaffirmed its backing for Morocco’s autonomy plan, hailing it as the only credible and realistic solution to resolving the Western Sahara dispute.

Bénin’s delegation was led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in charge of African Integration and Africans Abroad, Corinne Amori Brunet, who also welcomed the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2797. She described the resolution as a milestone that enshrines Morocco’s autonomy proposal—under Moroccan sovereignty—as the foundation for a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable settlement of the conflict.

She further announced that a high-level mission would soon visit Dakhla to witness firsthand the region’s economic and social progress and explore opportunities for on-the-ground partnerships. The two sides also agreed that the next session of the joint commission would be held in Dakhla itself.

Ghana

Morocco’s Foreign Minister also participated in the second session of the Morocco-Ghana Joint Cooperation Commission, where Ghana aligned itself with the growing international momentum recognizing Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara and endorsing the autonomy plan as the most viable path to ending a conflict now entering its fifth decade.

Ghana’s position was formalized in a joint communiqué issued at the close of the Morocco-Ghana Joint Commission session. This was confirmed by Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, during his meeting with Bourita.

It is worth noting that Ghana officially withdrew its support for the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) in January 2025 and has since taken a decisive step forward by fully endorsing Morocco’s autonomy plan, which it now views as the only realistic and sustainable basis for resolving the conflict.

This shift in Ghana’s stance—previously maintaining ties with the Polisario Front—reflects the growing African consensus in favor of Morocco’s proposal, which has already garnered support from 116 countries, representing over 60% of UN member states.

Ghana also reaffirmed its backing for UN Security Council Resolution 2797, which provides full support for the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy to facilitate and lead negotiations based on Morocco’s autonomy initiative, with the aim of achieving a just, durable, and mutually acceptable settlement.

Bourita’s visit to Accra also injected fresh momentum into bilateral relations between Morocco and Ghana. The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to deepen cooperation across key sectors, including banking, housing, infrastructure, renewable energy, logistics, digital economy, mining, hydrocarbons, and agriculture.

Economically, the ministers agreed to promote trade missions, business matchmaking events, and sector-specific professional fairs to boost bilateral trade and strengthen the balance of payments. They also announced the creation of a Morocco-Ghana Economic and Investment Forum, to be held periodically with alternating host cities in both countries.

Agriculture emerged as another critical area of partnership. Morocco’s OCP Group will supply fertilizers to enhance Ghana’s cocoa crop yields and bolster the country’s agricultural output, addressing its heavy reliance on food imports, which total around $3 billion annually.

Ghana, for its part, reiterated its support for Morocco’s Atlantic Initiative, designed to facilitate landlocked Sahel countries’ access to international markets via the Atlantic Ocean. Accra also remains committed to the Atlantic Africa Gas Pipeline project, intended to connect Nigeria to Morocco.