Greece and Denmark strengthen EU support for Morocco’s plan for Western Sahara

Greece has reaffirmed its support for the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco for Western Sahara, describing it as a ‘serious and credible contribution’ to the political process being conducted under the auspices of the United Nations. This was stated by the Greek Foreign Minister, Giorgos Gerapetritis, following a meeting in Athens with his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, who is on a working visit to the country. Gerapetritis clarified that, in line with the European Union’s common position, Athens “fully supports the efforts” of the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Staffan de Mistura, who is committed to conducting negotiations on the basis of the Moroccan proposal, with the aim of reaching a just, lasting and mutually acceptable agreement. The minister recalled that Greece, a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the 2025–2026 term, welcomed the adoption of Resolution 2797, which establishes the autonomy plan as the basis for negotiations towards a definitive political solution. “We believe that the autonomy proposal constitutes a serious and credible contribution to the ongoing United Nations process and could represent the most viable solution,” stated Gerapetritis, further describing Morocco as a “pillar of stability” in the region and an active player in the development of the African continent.

The talks between Bourita and Gerapetritis did not focus solely on the Sahara issue. The two ministers discussed the strengthening of bilateral relations, with a particular focus on economic and trade cooperation, infrastructure, green energy, water resource management, ports and maritime transport, as well as the agri-food sector. Athens regards Morocco as a strategic gateway to sub-Saharan African markets and is observing with interest the opportunities arising from the major infrastructure projects linked to the 2030 FIFA World Cup, for which the Kingdom will be one of the host nations alongside Spain and Portugal.

Denmark has also joined the ranks of supporters. The Danish government has described Morocco’s autonomy plan as ‘a sound basis for a mutually agreed solution’ to the Sahara issue. This was stated by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Lars Løkke Rasmussen during Bourita’s working visit to Copenhagen, according to reports by the Moroccan news agency MAP. Rasmussen stated that “Denmark welcomes, in line with the European Union’s position, the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2797”, describing the Moroccan proposal as “credible” and a “serious and essential contribution to the ongoing UN process”. With this stance, Denmark — itself a member of the UN Security Council — confirms its alignment with the international movement in support of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara and the autonomy plan promoted by Rabat under the leadership of King Mohammed VI.

The positions taken by Athens and Copenhagen form part of a broader trend towards European convergence around the negotiation process based on the Moroccan proposal, following the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2797, which formally placed the autonomy plan at the centre of negotiations for a definitive political solution to the decades-long dispute. For Morocco, the growing consensus amongst its European partners represents a further step in its diplomatic strategy aimed at consolidating international recognition of its sovereignty over the territory, whilst the economic implications — from infrastructure agreements to energy and port cooperation — remain a parallel and increasingly significant aspect of bilateral relations with European countries.