During recent high-level bilateral meetings in Cotonou and Accra, Morocco’s Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita, engaged with his counterparts from Benin and Ghana to reinforce diplomatic support for Morocco’s autonomy initiative regarding the Western Sahara region.

Benin

The seventh session of the Morocco-Benin Joint Cooperation Commission concluded in Cotonou on July 21 with a joint declaration reaffirming Benin’s unwavering support for Morocco’s territorial integrity, including the Sahara region. The statement highlighted Benin’s endorsement of the Moroccan autonomy plan as the only credible and realistic solution to the decades-long conflict.

Corinne Amori Brunet, Benin’s Minister of Foreign Affairs in charge of African Integration, emphasized the alignment of Benin’s stance with the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2797. This resolution underscores the autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty as the foundation for a fair, lasting, and mutually acceptable resolution.

Minister Brunet also announced plans for an upcoming visit to Dakhla to assess the region’s socioeconomic progress and explore partnership opportunities. Both nations agreed that the next session of the joint commission will be hosted in Dakhla, signaling a deepening of bilateral ties.

Ghana

Similarly, Morocco’s Foreign Minister participated in the second session of the Morocco-Ghana Joint Cooperation Commission, where Ghana reaffirmed its growing international recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara and its full support for the autonomy initiative. This position was formalized in a joint communiqué issued after the session.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ghana’s Foreign Minister, stressed the importance of the autonomy plan as the only realistic and sustainable basis for resolving the decades-old conflict. Ghana’s decision to withdraw its support for the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) in January 2025 marked a significant shift in its foreign policy, aligning it with the broader African consensus favoring Morocco’s proposal.

Ghana’s endorsement of UN Security Council Resolution 2797 further solidifies the plan’s legitimacy, positioning it as the cornerstone for negotiations led by the UN Secretary-General and his personal envoy. This resolution aims to achieve a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable settlement.

The visit also catalyzed new momentum in Morocco-Ghana relations, with both countries committing to deepen cooperation across key sectors such as banking, housing, infrastructure, renewable energy, logistics, digital economy, mining, hydrocarbons, and agriculture.

Economic collaboration will be bolstered through joint trade missions, business forums, and sector-specific trade fairs to enhance bilateral trade and strengthen Ghana’s balance of payments. Additionally, a new Morocco-Ghana Economic and Investment Forum will be established, with alternating host cities in both nations.

Agricultural cooperation will focus on leveraging Moroccan fertilizers, particularly from the OCP Group, to improve Ghana’s cocoa yields and overall food security. This aligns with Ghana’s goal to reduce its annual food import bill, which exceeds $3 billion.

Ghana also reaffirmed its support for Morocco’s Atlantic Initiative, aimed at facilitating landlocked Sahel countries’ access to international markets via the Atlantic Ocean, and its continued participation in the Nigeria-Morocco Atlantic Gas Pipeline project.