1. Bénin
2. Ghana

During successive bilateral meetings with delegations from Bénin and Ghana, Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Residents Abroad, Nasser Bourita, sought the two nations’ support for the kingdom’s autonomy plan regarding Western Sahara.

Bénin

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

In the declaration, Bénin reaffirmed its backing for the autonomy plan presented by Morocco as the only credible and realistic solution to resolve the Western Sahara dispute.

The Béninese delegation was led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in charge of the Integration of People of African Descent, Corinne Amori Brunet, who also welcomed the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2797, which recognizes Morocco’s autonomy plan under its sovereignty as the foundation for a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable settlement of the conflict.

The Béninese foreign minister confirmed that a delegation will soon visit Dakhla to witness the economic and social development unfolding in the region and explore opportunities for on-the-ground partnerships. The two sides also agreed that the next session of the Joint Cooperation Commission will take place 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 supporting its autonomy plan, widely regarded as the most realistic path to ending a conflict that has persisted for nearly half a century.

Ghana’s position was formalized in a joint communiqué issued with Morocco at the conclusion of the Morocco-Ghana Joint Cooperation Commission session.

This was emphasized by Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, during his meeting with his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita.

It is worth noting that Ghana withdrew its official support for the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) in January 2025 and has since taken further steps by unreservedly endorsing Morocco’s autonomy plan, which it considers the only realistic and sustainable basis for resolving the conflict.

This shift in Ghana’s position—previously maintaining ties with the Polisario Front—underscores the overwhelming support across the African continent for Morocco’s proposal, which has already garnered backing from 116 countries, representing more than 60% of UN member states.

Ghana also reaffirmed its support for UN Security Council Resolution 2797, which fully backs the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy in facilitating and conducting negotiations based on Morocco’s autonomy proposal to achieve a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable settlement.

Nasser 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 in strategic sectors, including banking, housing, infrastructure, renewable energy, logistics, digital economy, mining, hydrocarbons, and agriculture.

Economically, both ministers agreed to promote trade missions, entrepreneur meetups, and sector-specific trade fairs to boost bilateral trade and strengthen the balance of payments. They also announced the establishment of a Morocco-Ghana Economic and Investment Forum, to be held periodically with alternating host cities between the two nations.

Agricultural security is another pillar of this partnership. In this regard, Moroccan fertilizers produced by the OCP Group will enhance cocoa crop yields in Ghana and bolster the country’s agricultural production, particularly amid heavy reliance on food imports, estimated at around $3 billion annually.

For its part, Ghana reiterated its support for Morocco’s Atlantic Initiative, aimed at facilitating landlocked Sahel countries’ access to international markets via the Atlantic Ocean. Accra also remains engaged in the strategic Atlantic Africa Gas Pipeline project, designed to connect Nigeria to Morocco.