The Republic of North Macedonia “considers the Autonomy Plan, put forward by the Kingdom of Morocco in 2007, as the only basis for the settlement of this dispute.”
This position was expressed in the Joint Statement signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, and North Macedonia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Timčo Mucunski, following their meeting on Monday 21st July 2025, in Skopje.
Mucunski reaffirmed “his country’s longstanding support for the UN-led process aimed at reaching a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution for the parties,” the Joint Statement reads.
“The Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of North Macedonia reiterated their commitment to the UN’s leadership in this political process, and expressed their support for UN Security Council Resolution 2756 (October 2024), which underscores the parties’ role and responsibility in seeking a realistic, lasting political solution based on compromise,” the document highlights.
In this Statement, the two Ministers also reaffirmed the support of Morocco and North Macedonia for “the efforts of the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy and his mission to advance the political process, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions and the principles of the UN Charter.”
This new stance of North Macedonia is part of the international momentum supporting the autonomy initiative presented by Morocco, a dynamic driven by the impetus of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and backed by an increasingly strong international consensus.
In the Joint Statement, North Macedonia also “commended the far-reaching reforms undertaken over the past two decades under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, as well as the renewed efforts for political, economic, and social development.”
Furthermore, it “praised the Atlantic Initiatives launched by His Majesty King Mohammed VI in support of the African continent, notably the Initiative of the African Atlantic States Process, the Royal International Initiative to facilitate Sahel countries’ access to the Atlantic Ocean, and the Nigeria-Morocco African Atlantic Gas Pipeline project.” These initiatives aim to make the African Atlantic space a geostrategic framework conducive to intra-African development, while fostering stability and prosperity across the continent.
In this regard, the Republic of North Macedonia praised Morocco’s role as a “regional hub of stability and a driver of growth and development in Africa.”
The two ministers also emphasized their commitment to enhancing economic, trade, and cultural cooperation between the two countries by identifying high-potential strategic sectors, particularly tourism.
As part of this visit, Bourita was received in audience by the President of the Republic of North Macedonia, H.E. Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, and also held talks with the President of the Assembly MAfrim Gashi.
The Moroccan Minister’s visit, which follows on from his tour of Europe last April, is a continuation of the dynamic that accompanied that tour, which has now been extended to the Western Balkans.
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