Rabat – The Moroccan government is determined to double its efforts to give new impetus to development in the Guelmim-Oued Noun region, southern Morocco, announced Morocco’s Head of Government, Saad Eddine El Othmani.
El Othmani made the announcement on Saturday, February 22, during a meeting with the elected officials of the Guelmim-Oued Noun region.
The government will find solutions to the difficulties that face development projects in the region, pledged the senior Moroccan official.
“During this visit to the region, we are all listening to interact with the issues that require solutions. We know very well that despite the projects carried out or planned in the Guelmim-Oued Noun region, the aspirations and expectations of the inhabitants remain numerous and require constant interaction,” said El Othmani.
Most of the projects already underway in the region will have a positive impact on the population in the short, medium, and long terms, ensured the Head of Government.
However, the most important challenges, according to El Othmani, are accelerating the achievement of the projects and ensuring collaboration between all stakeholders at the local, regional, and national levels.
It is necessary to further promote communication in order to avoid “misunderstandings and political and personal problems” and to place Morocco’s best interests above all other considerations, he affirmed.
El Othmani added that the region of Guelmim-Oued Noun has important cultural, historical, and national heritage, and could be a locomotive for social, economic, and cultural development in the south of Morocco.
The Head of Government led a delegation on a visit to the Guelmim-Oued Noun region on Friday, February 21. The delegation included several government officials and heads of public institutions.
The visit is part of a series of meetings held by the government in Morocco’s various regions. The meetings are devoted to Morocco’s advanced regionalization policy.
During the visit, the delegation inspected the progress of several ongoing projects.
The Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sports, and Government Spokesperson, El Hassan Abyaba, visited the sites of the Regional Institute of Music and Choreographic Arts, the Documentation Center for Rocks and Ancient Heritage, as well as various sports infrastructures.
The Guelmim-Oued Noun region is known as the “Gateway to the Sahara.” It is the most northern region in Morocco’s Western Sahara, with a population of more than 430,000, according to the latest statistics.
Fishing is one of the region’s most important economic activities, with ports in the towns of Sidi Ifni and El Ouatia. Beach tourism is also under development in the region.
