In a significant diplomatic development, Ghana has officially thrown its support behind Morocco’s autonomy plan as the only viable framework for resolving the long-standing conflict in Western Sahara.

This endorsement, announced on Thursday during bilateral talks in Rabat between Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita, underscores Ghana’s alignment with a growing number of African, Arab, and Western nations recognizing Morocco’s proposal as both realistic and sustainable.

Western Sahara, a sparsely populated but resource-rich territory along Africa’s northwest coast, has been the center of a prolonged territorial dispute. Morocco claims sovereignty over the region, while the Algeria-backed Polisario Front seeks to establish an independent state. Since Spain's withdrawal in 1975, the United Nations has sought a political solution, with little success in brokering a lasting peace.

Morocco’s autonomy initiative, first proposed in 2007, offers limited self-governance to the territory under Moroccan sovereignty, and has been gaining international traction, especially since the U.S. recognized Moroccan sovereignty in 2020.

France, Kenya, the United Arab Emirates, and now Ghana have all expressed support for the plan in recent months, marking a considerable shift in the international diplomatic landscape.

Ghana’s endorsement signals a pivot in West African diplomacy. According to a joint statement released after the high-level meeting in Rabat, Ghana “considers the Moroccan autonomy plan as the only realistic and sustainable basis to a mutually agreed solution to the issue,” affirming that the United Nations should remain the exclusive framework for a resolution.

This move reflects both a pragmatic geopolitical calculation and a deepening bilateral relationship between Ghana and Morocco. Ghana’s support mirrors that of other African nations like Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and Equatorial Guinea, who have all praised Morocco’s proposal for offering a peaceful, consensus-based pathway to stability.

The talks between the two foreign ministers were not limited to the Western Sahara issue. Ghana and Morocco also agreed to enhance cooperation in defense, trade, and food security, strategic areas that have taken on heightened importance in light of global economic volatility.

A notable highlight was the announcement of a potential visa waiver deal and Morocco’s commitment to support Ghana’s food security initiatives. The Moroccan fertilizers and phosphates conglomerate OCP is expected to play a pivotal role in bolstering Ghana’s cocoa farming sector, an industry vital to the Ghanaian economy. By improving local agricultural productivity, Ghana aims to reduce its $3 billion annual food import bill.

Moreover, Ghana reiterated its support for Morocco’s broader Africa-focused economic initiatives, including the Morocco-Nigeria gas pipeline project. This ambitious transcontinental project aims to connect landlocked Sahel countries to global markets via the Atlantic, further integrating African economies and enhancing energy security.

Ghana’s support comes at a time when African countries are increasingly shaping the narrative around continental peace and development. The endorsement is more than symbolic; it reflects a trend towards African solutions to African problems, with regional powers like Ghana playing a more assertive role on the diplomatic stage.

For the United Nations, Ghana’s stance reinforces the need to act within a unified multilateral framework. As more countries rally behind Morocco’s autonomy plan, the pressure mounts on the UN to facilitate a durable, consensus-driven resolution that respects sovereignty while addressing the aspirations of local populations.

Ghana’s backing of Morocco’s Western Sahara autonomy plan is a pivotal moment that could reshape the trajectory of one of Africa’s most complex territorial disputes. It marks a pragmatic alignment with global diplomatic momentum and opens up new vistas for Morocco-Ghana bilateral cooperation.

As Africa navigates the challenges of development, peacebuilding, and regional integration, such partnerships highlight the evolving dynamics of continental diplomacy, where strategic interests, economic cooperation, and political pragmatism intersect.

This endorsement could set a precedent, encouraging other African nations to take clearer positions on continental disputes while leveraging diplomacy as a tool for mutual progress.