British foreign minister David Lammy said on Sunday that Morocco's autonomy plan for the territory of Western Sahara was the "most credible" solution to the decades-long dispute, reversing London's long-standing position.  

Western Sahara, a mineral-rich former Spanish colony, is largely controlled by Morocco but has been claimed in its entirety for decades by the pro-independence Polisario Front, which is backed by Algeria.  

"The United Kingdom considers Morocco's autonomy proposal submitted in 2007 as the most credible, viable and pragmatic basis for a lasting resolution of the dispute," Lammy told reporters in Rabat. 

Britain previously backed self-determination for the disputed territory, which Morocco claims as an integral part of its kingdom.  

Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita welcomed the shift, saying the new British position contributed "greatly to advancing this momentum and promoting the UN path towards a definitive and mutually acceptable solution based on the autonomy initiative."  

Rabat's push for support for its autonomy plan has seen success.  

Spain and Germany now officially back the Moroccan autonomy plan, while France last summer recognized Morocco's sovereignty over the territory.  

"This year is a vital window of opportunity to secure a resolution before we reach 50 years of the dispute in November," said Lammy.  

The foreign minister also said it encouraged "relevant parties to engage urgently and positively with the United Nations-led political process".  

In a joint statement, the United Kingdom noted that its export credit agency, UK Export Finance, may consider supporting projects in the Sahara as part of its commitment to mobilize 5 billion British pounds (approximately 5.9 billion euros) for new economic initiatives in Morocco.