Inauguration of the Chadian Consulate in Dakhla: A New Step in Supporting the Autonomy Initiative
In the summer of 2024, Morocco marks a new diplomatic success with the opening of the Chadian Consulate in Dakhla. This step reinforces international support for Morocco’s proposed autonomy initiative for Western Sahara.
On Wednesday, the Republic of Chad inaugurated its Consulate General in Dakhla, joining numerous African and Arab countries that have opened diplomatic representations in the southern provinces of Morocco. This opening demonstrates Chad’s commitment to strengthening regional cooperation and supporting Moroccan sovereignty over its Saharan territories.
The opening ceremony was presided over by the Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration, and Chadians Abroad, and Government Spokesperson, Abdel Rahman Gouladallah, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita. This event follows Chad’s decision announced on September 7, 2022, to open a Consulate General in Dakhla.
🇲🇦-🇹🇩| MFA Nasser Bourita and his chadian counterpart, Mr. Abderaman Koulamallah, proceeded, today in Dakhla, to the inauguration of the Consulate General of the Republic of Chad. pic.twitter.com/U0eZkD78AU
— Moroccan Diplomacy 🇲🇦 (@Marocdiplo_EN) August 14, 2024
During this ceremony, both ministers emphasized that the opening of the consulate reflects the quality and strength of the relations between Morocco and Chad, based on a shared history of friendship and solidarity, in line with the directions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and President Idriss Déby Itno.
At the end of the meeting, a joint communiqué was issued, affirming Chad’s support for the Autonomy Plan under Moroccan sovereignty, proposed by the Kingdom in 2007, as the sole basis for a credible and realistic solution to resolve this regional conflict. The communiqué also commended the efforts of the United Nations as the exclusive framework to achieve a realistic, practical, and lasting solution to the Sahara conflict.
In a press conference following the signing, Nasser Bourita praised this clear position, highlighting the opening of the Chadian Consulate in Dakhla, coinciding with the 45th anniversary of the recovery of the Oued Eddahab region. The ministers also signed several cooperation agreements.
With the opening of this new Chadian Consulate General, the number of consulates in the southern provinces rises to 29, including 17 in Dakhla.
Recently, Rabat has experienced rapid diplomatic successes regarding the Sahara issue, including the United States’ recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Saharan regions and the decision to open a diplomatic representation in Dakhla.
Moroccan diplomacy is advancing decisively to garner more international support for the Autonomy Plan, proposed as a fair and definitive solution for the Western Sahara issue, as demonstrated by the ongoing diplomatic momentum in the southern provinces, known as the “Consulate Diplomacy.”
In this context, Rabat has gained significant political support, illustrated by the opening of representations by many countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Comoros, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Zambia, Burkina Faso, and Guinea-Bissau.
The opening of these representations is also significant legally, in accordance with the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
This dynamic is expected to strengthen cooperation between Morocco and these countries by exploring significant economic opportunities offered by the southern provinces, as an open platform to West Africa.
On the diplomatic front, the multiplication of consulates reflects the success of Moroccan diplomacy in gaining significant achievements for the national cause and cutting short the dissemination of falsehoods by parties opposing the Kingdom’s territorial integrity.
Relations between Morocco and Chad continue to develop, with Morocco having previously invited Chad to participate in the Atlantic initiative announced by King Mohammed VI, aiming to provide access to the Atlantic coast for Sahel countries, to develop their maritime trade relations with other countries.
Chad, being a landlocked Sahel country, has thus supported and welcomed this Moroccan initiative.
Through the Atlantic initiative, Morocco seeks to provide its infrastructures in the Saharan regions, such as airports, roads, and ports, to Sahel countries to support their foreign trade while building strong relations with regional countries and becoming a positive actor contributing to the development of West Africa.
