Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and his Zambian counterpart, Mulambo Haimbe, co-chaired the first session of the Joint Commission for Cooperation between Morocco and Zambia in Laayoune on Friday. In a joint communique, Haimbe reaffirmed his country's support for the Moroccan Sahara. The Minister «also welcomed the growing international consensus and momentum led by His Majesty King Mohammed VI in favor of the Moroccan Autonomy Plan and Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara». Mulambo Haimbe pointed out that Zambia considers the Moroccan autonomy plan «the only credible, serious, and realistic solution» to the Sahara question, hailing the efforts of the United Nations as the exclusive framework for achieving a realistic, practical, and lasting solution to the Sahara regional dispute. The Zambian Foreign Minister presented Nasser Bourita with a written message to King Mohammed VI from Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema. In October 2020, Lusaka recognized the Kingdom's sovereignty over the Sahara. Zambia is a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), a regional bloc once considered South Africa's preserve, where Morocco is gaining ground. The Republic of the Comoros, Zambia, Eswatini, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Malawi, all members of SADC, have opened consulates in Laayoune and Dakhla.
