Finland renews support for Morocco’s autonomy plan

RABAT – Finland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen held talks in Rabat on Monday with Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, as both countries moved to reinforce bilateral relations and expand cooperation within the broader framework of Morocco’s partnership with the European Union.

Following their meeting, Finland praised Morocco’s political stability and reform programme, noting that the country’s trajectory under King Mohammed VI has strengthened its position as a credible and important partner for the European Union. Valtonen expressed full support for what was described as a renewed dynamic in relations between Helsinki and Rabat, and signalled Finland’s readiness to contribute to the further development of a strategic partnership.

In a joint statement issued after the talks, Finland reiterated its position that “genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty could be one of the most feasible solutions” to the Western Sahara dispute, describing the proposal as a serious and credible basis for achieving a lasting and mutually acceptable settlement.

Helsinki formally endorsed Morocco’s Autonomy Plan in August 2024, becoming the first Nordic country to do so. That decision followed a visit by Bourita to Finland earlier that month, when Finnish authorities said the initiative represented “a good basis for a solution agreed upon by the parties”, marking a shift from Finland’s previous neutral stance.

The joint statement also reaffirmed Finland’s support for United Nations Security Council Resolution 2797 and for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy “to achieve a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution to the issue of the Moroccan Sahara.”

For its part, Morocco reiterated the importance it attaches to its “long-standing, close, multidimensional, and privileged” partnership with the European Union. Both ministers referred to the outcomes of the fifteenth session of the EU-Morocco Association Council, held in Brussels on 29 January, which reviewed cooperation across political, economic and sectoral fields.

They also recalled their countries’ participation in the Pact for the Mediterranean, launched in Barcelona in November 2025, aimed at renewing ties between the EU and its southern partners on the basis of mutual trust and shared responsibility.

The joint statement highlighted Morocco’s role as what it described as a trusted partner in the EU’s southern neighbourhood, committed to regional stability and economic development.

Bilateral relations between Finland and Morocco span 66 years and have expanded in areas including trade and investment. Within the wider EU-Morocco framework, trade between the two sides exceeded €60 billion ($70.6 billion) in 2024. Morocco received approximately €270 million ($317.6 million) annually in EU funding between 2021 and 2024.

Finland regards Morocco as a strategic gateway to African and Mediterranean markets, particularly as Rabat continues to position itself as a regional hub for industry, renewable energy and logistics.

Finland’s endorsement of the autonomy proposal is part of a broader diplomatic momentum that has developed in recent years, during which a growing number of countries across different regions have expressed support for Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara and for the autonomy initiative under Moroccan sovereignty.

Rabat maintains that the plan offers a realistic and pragmatic framework for resolving the long-running dispute, while the United Nations continues to oversee political efforts aimed at reaching a negotiated settlement.