On 16 January 2021,United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation reported that foreign minister, Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, had reiterated the UAE’s “firm position” in support of the Kingdom of Morocco’s “sovereignty over the entire region of Moroccan Sahara”.
The minister also added that the UAE supports all the measures taken by Morocco to defence its territorial integrity and its citizens, reaffirming the UAE’s support for Morocco’s autonomy initiative on the region of Moroccan Sahara.
These remarks came as Al Nahyan addressed the ministerial video conference co-organised by the United States and Morocco on supporting Morocco’s autonomy proposal regarding the Moroccan Sahara.
In presence were Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, and the US Secretary of State, David Schenker, in addition to several foreign ministers and senior officials from friendly countries, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar.
The Emirati minister added that on 4 November 2020, the UAE opened a consulate in Laayoune in Southern Morocco, in line with the vision adopted by the UAE’s leadership to deepen strategic and historical relations between the UAE and Morocco.
The minister added that as part of the UAE’s keenness to support Morocco on the Sahara issue, the UAE welcomed the American decision on 10 December 2020 recognising Morocco’s sovereignty over the entire region of the Moroccan Sahara.
Al Nahyan commended the “ongoing and constant communications and coordination” between the UAE and Morocco and “our effective role in supporting Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern territories”.