Italy denied, on May 22, the Algerian propaganda, reiterating its appreciation for Morocco’s serious and credible efforts to settle the Moroccan Sahara issue.
Reacting to recent press reports about the activation of VFS-Global’s temporary branch in Tindouf, the Italian Embassy in Rabat stated that this decision aims to improve and simplify visa application procedures, underlining that “pop-up” centers will be opened in the upcoming weeks in other cities in Algeria.
In a statement, the Italian diplomatic representation emphasized that this administrative decision does not reflect in any way Italy’s position on the Moroccan Sahara, noting that Italy “reiterates its position on this matter as expressed in the Declaration on the Multidimensional Strategic Partnership, signed in November 2019 in Rabat.”
The Italian Embassy also reaffirmed its country’s “full support to the efforts of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General for the Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, in pursuing a political process in line with the resolutions of the United Nations (UN) Security Council (SC).”
In this regard, Italy praised Morocco’s serious and credible efforts within the United Nations (UN) framework, calling on all parties to strengthen their commitment in a spirit of realism and compromise.